Love Child
by forever is never forever
Summary: Sookie and Eric have a daughter and she's all grown up now.
1. Another Blonde Telepath

This is my first story in the _SVM _category, however, I've been writing for True Blood. Regardless, I like to think of them as separate, but equally good. I'm in the middle of the series, I just finished _Definitely Dead _and well, I'm waiting for money to buy the next book. I would appreciate any advice/critiques you have, but send them nicely. Please. So I'm going off the premise that Eric would do anything for Sookie (as sort of stated in _Dead To The World, _yes I know he was an amnesiac Eric, but still). I'd like to think that Eric was still in there somewhere. And maybe he is, I just don't know because I haven't finished the series. With that said, I'm not basing this story off of the series, just using the characters. :)

With all of this said, I hope you enjoy this story. Drop me a review if you'd like.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs, everything else belongs to Charlaine Harris.

--

_It was another night at Merlotte's for me. I was tired, but my tip purse was full. I was content. We were nearing closing time and most of the patrons had cleared out. Like every night she came in, Jane Boathouse was slouched in her booth completely sauced. But, of all the drunks I met here, she was a friendly one. If not too friendly to anyone with an XY chromosome. Regardless, I called her son. He'd be around to pick her up shortly. He was a good guy as far as I was concerned. _

_I finished wiping down the tables and refilling the ketchup bottles. I checked the level of the salt and pepper shakers as well as the napkin holders. Everything was in order. I untied my green apron and headed back towards Sam's office. _

_His door was open, knowing all of us barmaids would be coming in and out. He greeted me with a smile, like he always does. This would be the last time I saw Sam as his employee since I would be heading back to college in a few days. _

_Sam is a good friend of my mom's, Sookie Stackhouse, and a good friend of mine. Now in his mid-forties, not that he looked it, his reddish-blond hair had a few wisps of graying hairs. If anything, it made him even more handsome. I started to work for Sam when I was still in high school, at that time I was only serving food. He has kept me on part-time during my holiday breaks while I was in college. He greeted me with a pleasant smile. _

"You heading out, Kim?" he asked, looking up from his paperwork.

"Yep," I replied.

He nodded, "Well, here's your last paycheck. I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too," I replied sincerely. _I love Sam, but in a father figure kind of way. _

_He stood up, my check in hand. Sam took me into an embrace and I returned it. He was always so warm, but that was the shifter in him. We let go of each other simultaneously. He handed me my check. I took it gratefully, slipping it into my purse. _

"I'll stop by before I go back to school," I assured him.

"You better," Sam replied, mock threateningly.

I smiled, "Thanks again, Sam."

"Don't worry about. You know you'll always have work here. Tell your mom I say 'hi'," Sam said warmly.

"I will, I'll see you again during spring break," I reminded him.

_He gave me a slightly surprised look. _

"You're not going out with your friends that week?" he asked.

"They all want to go to New Orleans to some of the vamp bars," I sighed.

"Ah, ok," Sam remarked, understandingly.

_Unlike my friends, Sam knew...the intricacy of, well my existence. I'm the child of Eric Northman. Yes, _**_the _**_Eric Northman. And no, I'm not his child in the sense that he's my maker. I am his flesh and blood. I'm sure you're wondering how this can be since he's dead and all. Well my mom and he were quite in love, and still are, but she like the many humans partners of vampires eventually have the sad realization that children by their lovers is not possible. She had this revelation before, with her former vampire boyfriend, Bill Compton. However, it hit her harder when she had with my dad. Despite, how menacing he may seem (and is really to anyone else besides my mom, me, and Pam) it killed him to see my mom this upset. He suggested adoption, but that wasn't quite the same. _

_So, he appealed to several witch allies of his. They were able to cast a spell allowing him become human for one night. And well, there really wasn't a question that my mom would be pregnant. My conception was pretty much destined to be. _

_Now, it wasn't much of a surprise that I was going to be blonde and blue eyed. I'm tall like him, 5'10" and I had his icy blue eyes. I look more like him, but I do have my mom's nose and bosom. I recently became a brunette, out of some sheer worry that I look too much like my dad. _

_No one in the human world, except Sam (who isn't even really that human), knows that Eric Northman is my dad. After her relationship with Bill, my mom dated several men. But, they were all short term and not too serious. Most of the residents of Bon Temps think I'm a product of one of those relationships. I could careless and so could my mom._

_However, the inhabitants of Bon Temps know my mom and dad are together. It's been a little over twenty years since the vampires 'came out of the coffin', so vamp-human relationships were nothing new. Acceptance of them were still split, but more and more states were allowing marriage. However, Louisiana was not one of them. _

_The supernatural world was no different. It wouldn't look good for the Sheriff of Area Five to have such a strong weakness like the welfare of a child, who was his flesh and blood. Let alone willingly turning himself into a human to conceive this child. Although, I don't think he would value his child's life less if they had decided to adopt. Well, that's what I would like to think. _

_So he made sure his personal life was well guarded, with a select few knowing of it. Like Sam. My dad was very reluctant about letting a shifter know, but that couldn't be helped. But despite my dad's best efforts, I am well known in the Supe world. Some know our exact relationship, but many don't. Nevertheless, they all know I am under his protection._

_I have been more frequently receiving those long stares as if there was something that linked me to him. They mainly came from the patrons of Fangtasia. Thus, I changed my hair color. Although, if anyone actually knew who I was my hair could be purple and it wouldn't matter. This change just made me feel a little better. _

"Are you sure you don't want to take that whole week off?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure. It'll give me something to do, you know? Although, one night I'm taking a friend to Fangtasia," I replied, "Well, I have to take her."

"Why do you have to take her?" Sam asked, his brow raising.

I shrugged, "She's doesn't want to go alone and I'm her only friend from school that live near Shreveport. Plus, she thinks I have some experience there or something."

"Don't you though?" Sam asked with a smile.

"Yeah, but my dad thought it would be hilarious to stick one of their copies of calendar for women in my stuff while I packed for college. I found it when I got to my dorm," I sighed.

_Sam couldn't help but laugh. I didn't blame him. But really would you want a photo your dad bearing it all, or just about, for the month of January? I didn't think so. Regardless, my roommate insisted we hang it up. I wasn't looking forward to returning from winter break. _

"Well, thanks again Sam," I reiterated.

"It was good to see you again," he replied with a smile.

"You too," I returned.

_I left his office. I was wearing the winter uniform for Merlotte's, but I was going to change before heading out. I was intending to visit Fangtasia to get a gift for my roommate for the holidays. Yes, my dad could just give it to me but that's just not the same. I slipped into the bathroom. I hung my bag on the hook on the door. I had a long sleeved, empire waist dress and some black leggings stowed in there. My boots were in my car. The dress was a royal purple color and made of a heavy cotton. It had a V-neck that showed off enough, but too much, cleavage. _

_I pulled the dress over my head and the leggings up my long legs. Messily folding up my work clothes I tossed them back into my bag. I fixed my makeup and hair. I was ready to go. I grabbed my tweed peacoat off the coat rack and headed out the employee entrance. _

_Once in my car, I kicked off my Nikes and grabbed my mid-thigh heeled boots from the back. They were made of faux leather, but they were still pretty. They had fake buckles around the now worn leg. _

_I started my car and headed for Shreveport. It was around eleven by now and Fangtasia would be in full swing. I arrived at the vampire bar within twenty minutes. I took out my work clothes from my bag and threw them in the back with my sneakers. _

_I left my coat in the car because it would be quite toasty in the club. I walked right up to the bouncer, it didn't matter who it was I was always admitted. Tonight it was Pam. _

"Evening, Kim," she greeted warmly. Well, as warmly as she could without losing her cold vampire appearance.

"Eric out or in the office tonight?" I asked.

_Never do I refer to him as 'dad' around other vampires or humans, or in public for that matter._

"In," she replied coolly.

I nodded, "Ok, thanks."

"Sure," Pam replied as she allowed me in.

_I wandered through the club. It was filled with tourists, fangbangers, and the occasional brave humans. I nodded to the bartender. He has lasted longer than his predecessors, surprisingly. I knew exactly where to go, which was good too because I couldn't keep my guard up as high as I usually do. _

_I, like my mom, have a gift, disability, quirk, curse, or whatever you want to call it, but I'm telepathic. My mom jokes it's genetic. And, hell it could be. But, you can't expect a doctor to answer you seriously if you asked. I doubted it was though. Telepaths are far and few between. I just chalked it up to sheer coincidence. We're just a quirk of nature, just like every other Supe. _

_I'm lucky though. My mom was able to teach me to build up a shield and how to use my gift. She had no one. Although, now she has complete control of it. I'm almost there. I can pretty much tune anyone out, it's only when I'm really tired that shield starts to weaken. _

_I walked down the familiar corridor and knocked on the door. I heard a murmur of 'enter'. I did and shut the door behind me. I could barely hear KDED from the bar room. And that's usually being pumped heavily into the bar room. _

"Business is booming I see," I commented as I sat down on one of the chairs in front of his desk.

_He was hunched over, staring angrily at his laptop. I smiled, technology and my dad mixed pretty well. Just not computers, well when they had viruses. _

"Of all the All-Night business vampires have opened, why can't there a tech support one?" he muttered under his breath.

_I laughed. Geek Squad with fangs. That thought led me to think of Stan Davis of Dallas. I've met him on several occasions. As formidable as he is, I could never really take him seriously. With that ignorance, I'm on track to being drained. _

"This is what you get when you don't renew Norton," I reminded him.

_He raised his golden brow in an unamused fashion. I shrugged, he knew I was right. _

"Or you could always go Mac," I added.

"I think not," he replied, giving up for the moment.

_He sat up, his feet resting on the edge of the desk. _

"The shifter let you off early I see," he observed.

"Yeah, I told Sam I wanted to stop by before heading home," I said.

He smiled, "You in the mood to bust some tables?"

"No, but thanks," I replied, "I just wanted to say 'hi', plus I promised Erin I'd pick her a souvenir from here."

"She's the one who found the, ah, calender, yes?"

"...yeah."

_He continued to grin, quite pleased with himself. _

"Are you fully packed to return to school?" he asked, his 'fatherly instincts' kicking in.

"Pretty much. I'll be leaving in two days," I sighed.

He nodded, "Then, I changed my hours with another vampire for tomorrow."

"Oh, good. Mom was going off about that last night," I said, chuckling.

"Yes, I know," he replied.

_I looked at my watch, it was time for me to leave. Dad stood up as I did. He opened the office door, but stopped me before leaving. Placing a kiss on my forehead and gave me a quick hug. It was moments like these that make him seem human. I appreciated these moments, more than you could imagine. _

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said, kind of sullenly.

--

Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I don't know how frequently I'll be updating. This idea just sort of popped into my head while reading one night. I decided to run with it. But, if you're itching for more Sookie and Eric goodness head over to my True Blood story.

-Forever Is Never Forever


	2. Last Night

I want to thank all of you for your support of this story! It means a lot. So, here's chapter two. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only own my OCs everything else belongs to the wonderfully talented Charlaine Harris!

--

_I left his office and weaved my way to the souvenir stand. I picked out the red logo tee, with Fangtasia scripted on the shirt as it appeared on the neon sign. "Life begins at Night" was underneath the black block that contained the logo. It was fitted for women and priced for thirty bucks. Geez, dad. Oh, Erin why must you be such a good friend? _

_I left the club, saying goodnight to Pam as I walked towards my car. I threw the bag in the back once I was in the car. I was finally heading home. The drive seemed longer than it actually was. That seemed even more true for the drive down the gravel driveway to my Great-Gran's house. Parking next to my mom's car, I could see the living room light on. She was up waiting for me or so I thought. I had forgotten to tell her that I was stopping to Fangtasia. Oops. _

_Walking into the house, I spotted my mom in the kitchen making a cup of hot tea. She too was in her mid-forties, but she didn't look a day over thirty-five. How she aged so gracefully, I think was a combination of dad's blood and her being a fairy (I apparently look young for my age). Her face was nearly flawless, with a worry line here and there. She was still as fit and tan-thanks to the tanning booth at the movie rental store. _

_She was sitting talking to Bill Compton. He was apparently visiting at the moment. My mom and Bill had resolved their differences some time during my infancy or early childhood. However, their intimate relationship was never restored. Even if I could read his mind, I wouldn't have to, to see that he did love mom. Regardless, Bill remains a good friend of my strange family. _

_Bill fascinates me to say the least. He's in on the up and ups of everything computers but still has he's old Southern Gentleman-ly ways. He's like a time paradox. I once used him as a primary document for a history paper, but that's besides the point. _

"Good evening, Kim," Bill greeted.

"Hey," I replied as I wandered into the kitchen, "Hi, Mom."

"Sam keep you to clean up?" she asked, looking at me.

"Ah, no. I went to Fangtasia to get a shirt for Erin," I explained, "I should of called to tell you."

Mom shrugged, "You're here now and you're fine. It's not like you wouldn't have been safe there."

"True. So, Bill how are you?" I asked.

"Fine and yourself?" Bill replied.

"Good and tired, the usual," I said with a yawn.

Bill smiled, "Are you excited to return to school?"

"Yeah, but not to the décor," I chuckled.

_Mom joined in the laughter. Bill looked perplexed-I'm glad he didn't know. _

"Calender," I said vaguely.

_Bill nodded, still confused. _

_As if she could read my mind (ha-ha) my Mom pulled out a plate of food from the warm oven. I stared at the plate longingly. I hadn't eaten since five. She placed the dish in front of me as well as a glass water. She and Bill excused themselves to the living room. Having a vampire watch you eat is very awkward, you sort of pity them in a sense. Well, I do at least. _

_I divided into the food happily. Once I was finished, I washed the dishes and joined my mom and Bill in the living room. They were reminiscing about something. We sat and chatted for a while. Bill was curious about my classes for the spring semester. He always liked to be in the know. I then excused myself to bed. Well, to at least change. After scrubbing my face and changing into a pair of sweat pants and long sleeved shirt, I returned to my bedroom, which used to be my mom's room when my Great-Gran was alive. _

_I heard Mom say goodnight to Bill. _

_My room remained the same as it had been when I was in high school. Poster of bands and movies lined the wall. Looking at them, I wondered what I ever saw in that particular group or movie. My bookshelf was jammed pack, mostly with mysteries. A few classics were in there as well and a couple of romances too. I had brought back some from college and had planned to take others. Something else to pack. _

_High school was interesting time in my life. I earned all of my grades on my own, but the temptation was still there to use my telepathy to cheat. From time to time I did too. What can I say, I'm not perfect. _

_I had gotten into several fights in school as well. They were with several kids whose parents were prominent members of The Fellowship. I had known dad was a vamp since I was around ten and had been very supportive of vampire rights. So, gee I can only wonder why I'd pick fights with the Fellowship kids. Although most of them were heated verbal arguments. _

_One fight in particular got pretty out of hand though. It was with a boy named Greg LeBlanc. He was around my height with a medium build. He was the pretty boy of my school. His father was the leader of the Shreveport branch of The Fellowship. He didn't have a problem with hitting a girl and neither did I. Our fight reminded me of the ones I've seen at Merlotte's that ended up with two people rolling around the floor. I managed to pin him to the ground. Greg was forced to cry "uncle"._

_I ruined his perfect nose and blackened one of his brilliant green eyes. Several of his bright white teeth were loosened as well. Most of the girls at my school hated me after that, with the exception of a few. But they were my friends in the first place. _

_However, Greg got a few good punches in as well. Most were aimed at my face and sides. I was swollen and achy for a few weeks after that. My dad had offered his blood to me. But would you want your dad to know your every thought and where you were at every wakening moment? Especially when you were seventeen? I didn't think so. My mom suggested I'd take some from Bill. But I declined that as well. Plus, my quick healing would have only further the rumors that I was doing V, I was a fangbanger, or both. Even though they were contradictory. _

_But in my defense, Greg already had it out for me since he knew my mom associated with vampires. He once told me that if I wanted to save my eternal soul I shouldn't hang around with people like my mom. At one point, before our fight, he tried to convert me. I think I laughed at him, I don't recall exactly. _

_I do not miss high school, well the people. _

_I heard my dad's Corvette come rolling up the driveway. I remember on several occasions that dad tried to get mom to move to his house in Shreveport. But, my mom is stubborn and refused to leave her family's home. Dad eventually gave in and moved here. However, his hidey hole had been moved from my room to a different part of the house. To the extension of my mom's bedroom they had added. _

_Dad still had his home in Shreveport though. He only used it for hosting any out of town vampires who were visiting his area. _

_I could hear them talked for a few a few moments before I could faintly hear my dad nearing my room. He came and sat on the bed with me. We sat cross legged, facing one another. He had that 'I want to talk to you' face every dad has. I hated when he gave me this look. _

_I sighed. _

"Is this about me not calling mom? Because if she really wanted to know, she could have telepathically called me," I said reasonably.

"So, how's Derek?" he replied.

_I wasn't expecting that. Hmmm. Maybe mom told him? I had only mentioned Darren once to her. _

"You mean, Darren?" I asked, I had an idea as to where this was going.

"Sure," Dad shrugged, "Will I be meeting him anytime soon?"

"Will he leave in one piece if you do?" I asked.

"Are you implying I'd drain him if he said something I didn't agree with?" he asked, faking offense.

"Sort of," I replied.

He smirked, "Well, I can't promise anything."

"Ah, then no," I smiled.

"I can always glamour away any trauma," he said offhandedly.

"This is why I never bring anyone home," I sighed sarcastically.

_He laughed. Although it was true. Having your date meet your parents is awkward enough. Even though it takes most humans a few minutes to recognize a vampire (I can spot them a mile away), they eventually will. So having your date meet your father who's a vampire is just too much. Plus, how would I logically explain that he's my dad? I didn't even know. _

"It's not serious," I explained.

"Good," he replied.

"Good?" I asked.

He nodded, "You're too young to have a serious relationship."

"Well in comparison to you, I'm too young for a lot," I remarked.

"If we're making comparisons, when I was your age I was married and already had three children," Dad shrugged.

"So there could be some Eric Northman descendants running around?" I asked curiously.

"I suppose," he replied after a moment.

-

_The following morning Mom and I headed over to the Wal-Mart Super Center to pick up some last minute supplies for the new semester. We walked down up and down the aisles. _

"Do you need anything else?" she asked.

"No, I think I'm good," I said, going through my mental check-list.

_I gave her a half-smile. She walked over to me and hugged me. It's always hard for me to leave home after the holidays. I suppose it's because after eighteen years of never being more than a week away from home, to be gone months at a time is hard. I've always been a homebody, although I do like an adventure or two. I had plenty of them during my childhood, having a vamp father makes life interesting. _

_We headed home to find my uncle's truck sitting in our driveway. It looked like the one he had when he was my age. Black with pink and aqua going down the side. He was sitting on the rocker, I hope he hadn't been here long. It happened to be a particularly cold day today. _

_He seemed rather at ease today, the full moon had just passed. Uncle Jason aged pretty well too. I suppose that had to do with the fairy in him as well. Many women still swoon over him, a whole new generation in fact. Uncle Jason stood up as we approached the porch. He held out his arms, waiting for a hug. I walked into his embrace, hugging him back. He was unusually warm just like the other shifters. _

"How's my favorite niece?" he asked, as we walked into the house.

"Good, I'm leaving tomorrow morning," I said.

"I know, that's why I'm here," he replied with a smile.

"How's Crystal?" I asked, setting the shopping bags on the kitchen table.

"She's good," Uncle Jason said as he mulled over the contents of the fridge.

_He pulled out a Coke and sat down with me at the kitchen table. We talked for a bit while my mom ran around the kitchen, pulling together a quick lunch for the three of us. I unloaded the bags, setting the contents next to my stuff in the living room. I'd be packing after lunch. _

_--_

Well that's chapter two. I hope you enjoyed it. Once again, if you have any critiques, let me know. I'm not entirely sure if the story is going to be told just from Kim's POV or not. I may switch it up. Until next time!

-Forever Is Never Forever.


	3. The Swedes Do It Best

I just want to say thanks to all of my reviewers and readers. You guys rock. Also, sorry for such the delay in posting this chapter. School's a pain. What can I say? Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing by my OC's. Everything else belongs to Charlaine Harris.

--

_Night had fallen, my car was packed and Mom and I were sitting at the kitchen table eating dinner. She had made my favorite dinner. In reality though, anything she cooked was my favorite. Although, what I was truly waiting for was a slice of the late Caroline Bellefleur 's famous chocolate cake. Portia had given up the recipe to Mom after Mrs. Bellefleur's death. My mouth watered just looking at it. _

_Much to my surprise, Dad hadn't risen or he had and I just completely missed it. Regardless, I knew he'd be around sometime during the night. I suppose he was making sure the other vamp who was filling in for him was doing the job right. Looking cold and indifferent for all of the gawking tourists and overly showy fangbangers, didn't take much effort. _

_My assumption was correct when Dad walked through the front door._

_He sauntered into the kitchen, greeted and kissed Mom. He held up two, what I presumed to be, concert tickets in one hand. In the other were backstage passes. He placed them in front of me. I was right, they were two tickets and passes to the BloodLust concert. If you hadn't guessed by now, BloodLust was a vampire band. They had been popular in the Supe community before the 'coming out of the coffin'. Despite their differences, the Weres couldn't deny that they were a good band. But now, they had attracted a new group of fans, humans. I was one of them. _

_They were playing at Rosiln's, the Josephine's of Shreveport. Like Josephine's, or Club Dead as the Weres call it, humans were not admitted unless escorted by a Supe. Usually by a vamp. However, Roslin's was bigger, so much so that they could hold concerts. I had been there several times for different concerts and once for vamp business. _

_I noticed that the tickets were dated for today, well tonight. Precisely at 8 PM. _

"Is this why you took off?" I asked, unable to not smile.

"It is," he grinned.

I turned to Mom, "Did you know about this?"

_She merely smiled as she took the plates over to the sink. _

"Go get dressed," Dad said as he sat down at the kitchen table.

_I went into my room, not knowing what to wear. I had packed up all of my clothes earlier today. I looked around my room, trying to think of the clothes that were left here. They were mostly summer clothes. I started to open drawers, hoping to find something. After opening the third one, I came across a BloodLust t-shirt. A pair a fuschia lips that were curled into a coy smile was printed off-center. You could see the bright, white fangs protruding from the smile with a line of blood dripping from one of the fangs. The line ran the length of the shirt and in the middle "BloodLust" was scripted in the middle. It was appropriate to say the least. I pulled that over my head and then grabbed my dark gray hoodie out of the closet. _

_I reentered the kitchen, Mom and Dad were talking still. She was recounting our day while he listened intently. Dad stood up, kissed Mom like he had when he'd come in. I kissed her on the cheek. _

"When do you have to get Erin?" she asked.

"Not until ten," I replied.

_Mom nodded, _"Ok, have fun."

_Dad and I left through the back door. We piled into his Corvette and sped out of the driveway. I knew the way to Shreveport very well, so it seemed like we were there in no time. Dad pulled into the parking lot of Roslin's. As we got out of the Corvette, I was hit with the sensation of supernaturalness. There were many voids (vamps) here tonight, which made sense. It was a vampire band that was performing. I could sense the frenzied minds of the weres along with the noisy human ones as well. I shuddered once the thick smell of a "stay away" spell hit my nose. It wasn't quite as unnerving as the one Mom describe at Club Dead. Although, I had never experienced magic such as the spells casted there. Regardless, we trudged through the magical barrier and into the bar. _

_Once in the bar, Dad linked his arm with mine. The bar was buzzing. Humans, weres, and vamps were scattered through out the bar on the upper deck. The lower deck was where the dance floor and stage and was centered in the middle of everything. The actual bar itself sat to the far left, with booths and tables placed all around. _

_A small group had formed on the dance floor already. Dad nudged me towards the steps. I gave him a confused look, wondering why he wasn't coming with me. He stepped forward. _

"I have a business associate to...deal with," he explained.

_That did not sound good, at least for this associate of my Dad's. You would think people would automatically understand that a thousand year old Viking would not have the patience of a saint. I shrugged inwardly, oh well. _

"All right," I said.

_He kissed me on the cheek before I descended the steps into the arena like area. I watched Dad walk towards a booth, but from this level I couldn't see who was sitting in it. _

_The concert started up on time. I was standing there with about two hundred other fans. Talk about private. There was about another two hundred or so sitting in the upper level though. _

_They finished their first set and took a brief break. While the other members were getting ready for the next song, the lead singer, Dane, talked. Dane was my little celebrity crush. He was tall, with dark brown, short wavy hair, and deep blue eyes. He had a good amount of muscle to him as well. And rumor has it that he ranks with some of the oldest vamps in North America. Six hundred, plus. _

_ He went on about how it was great to be back in Shreveport and such. He thanked us for coming out. Dane then took his place in front of the microphone and they started up again. They had ended up to one of their slow songs. Dane was looking around the crowd, he had them mesmerized...or glamoured. But, I didn't think a vampire could glamour an entire crowd. Or maybe that was Dane's little talent? _

_His sapphire eyes landed on me. I'm pretty sure my heart skipped a beat. He stared at me intently. I could feel him trying to impose his influence on me. 'It's not gonna work, buddy,' I thought. _

_'Oh? And why is that?'_

_My heart skipped another beat. Oh shit. Had we just conversed through telepathy? No. It was just one of those rouge thoughts I get from vamps. I literally shook my head. Dane smiled, causing several women around me to squeal with delight. Dane continued to sing, still watching me. _

_Dad joined me towards the end of the concert. He was looking a little more pink than usual. I assumed that had something to do with his 'associate' he'd met. Poor guy probably said something stupid. Dad then noticed Dane's ah, interest in me. Uh-oh. _

_To say Dad is protective of me, would be a slight understatement. But he didn't seem too concerned about Dane though. Phew. I didn't need to be responsible for Dane's final death. _

_The concert came to a close. Everyone started shuffling up to the upper deck. Dad handed me one of the backstage passes. We went around the stage and through the back door. We showed our passes and one of their assistants took us down a long corridor. People were rushing around us, cleaning up and getting ready for the next concert tomorrow. We were brought into 'common room' for lack of a better word. The assistant pleasantly told us that the band would greet us in a moment. She then left. I picked from her brain that she was in "shock and awe" from meeting Dad. I laughed at the irony. _

_Dane and the rest of the band entered. They first greeted Dad with the inclining of the head and then me. Dad spoke with the bassist, Ian, and guitarist, Owen. I met with their drummer, Mark. I then got my little slice of happiness by meeting Dane. _

"You're the first human to not be affected by my influence," he commented, seeming surprised.

I smiled, "It doesn't work on me."

"I know, you said so," he replied nonchalantly.

"Then, you...could hear me?" I asked, unable to believe it.

"Of course," he said matter-of-factly.

"How?" I asked.

"Dunno. I guess it's my special ability," Dane shrugged.

_I arched my brow,_ "Were you telepathic as a human?"

_I know asking about a vampire's human life usually isn't a lucrative (or bright) idea, but I guess in this circumstance it could be. _

_Dane shook his head. _

"No, I was not."

_Dane gazed over to Dad, Ian, and Owen who were hold a lengthy conversation. _

"Are you his?" Dane asked, his stare returning to me.

"Ah, no...Da..Eric is just my escort for tonight," I replied.

_Dane smirked. _

"I never knew Eric to be "just anything" to a woman," he added.

"Well, I can assure you I am not Eric's," I replied.

"That's good," he paused, "because a woman such as yourself shouldn't entangle herself in a womanizer such as Eric."

"He's not a womanizer...anymore," I said defensively, "He has a human mate now."

"Oh? I thought that was only a rumor," Dane said thoughtfully.

_I smiled. _

"And how does his human feel about you?"

"Ah, we're friends. I just needed a someone to take me here," I said cautiously.

"Does this mean you are not spoken for?" Dane asked.

_Sometimes, the out-of-date terminology vamps uses makes you think for a moment or two. And it did make me think. Was I? Darren and I had only been going out for a few weeks and we'd, well I, never declared us exclusive. _

"No, I'm not," I said finally.

"Will join me for a drink then?" he asked, showing a bit of fang.

_I shivered with a bit of delight, but I then felt a cold hand suddenly on my shoulder. It was Dad. Dane is tall, but Dad is taller still. Both of them were standing straight, trying to look more fearsome than the other. Although, Dad's stare could make anyone feel tiny and insignificant. _

"You're not trying to get a taste of my human's companion are you, Dane?" Dad asked with an icy tone.

_Dane smirked. _

"In your Area, Eric. Never. I was simply wanting the company of this lovely young woman. You're welcome to join us as well, Eric," Dane explained, humbly.

"No, I think I will pass. You have my permission to take Kimberly out," Dad replied.

"I did not know I was asking for it. Had I, I would have graveled better," Dane remarked with amusement.

_Dad was far from the joking mood. _

"My human left Kimberly in my care and I am Sheriff no less, my permission is crucial," Dad pointed out.

"I understand," Dane said, mindfully inclining his head.

"There better not be one prick on her flesh," Dad added.

_I really hate when he talks about me like I'm not there. _

"Of course."

_Dad turned to me and fished his car keys out of his pocket. He placed the key ring in my hand as he leaned in to say something. _

"If I find any trace of him _on _you, you won't see the light of day for a very long time," he said not so quietly.

_He then turned to leave. I was sure he was going to tell me not to wreck the Corvette. _

"Subtly isn't really his thing," I sighed once Dad had left.

"Indeed, it's not," Dane agreed, "Shall we?"

_Dane stuck his arm out and I took it. We left the room and headed for the bar on the upper deck. We were accompanied by two bodyguards as well. They were both Weres. Dane's arm made its way around my waist by the time we got to the private booth. I received many envious glares and thoughts as we passed through the bar. I slide in first with Dane right at my heels. _

_He ordered a TruBlood and I a Coke. _

"How long have you known Eric?" Dane asked casually.

"Several years now," I replied after a moment, "And you?"

"Close to five hundred years now. We met in the Old World," Dane said, "But, I have been a vampire for much longer."

_I nodded as I took a sip of my drink. _"For how long, if you don't mind me asking."

"I do not. I am nearly seven hundred years old now, old for American vampires but not in comparison to the vampires of Europe," Dane said. _He seemed to enjoy talking about his vampire 'heritage'._

"I find it surprising a young woman like yourself is associated with vampires," Dane observed.

"Do I look like someone who wouldn't?" I asked.

"No, I just still find it surprising so many of the young are so drawn to us," Dane explained as he sipped the TruBlood.

_I shrugged. _"I don't really care for the living all that much."

_Ok, that wasn't completely true. There are some vamps I don't care for either, but that was besides the point. _

"And why is that?"

"Well, it was more when I was young. But, I am a telepath and it was hard for me to block out everyone else's thoughts. I can now. But, I still don't like what I hear," I explained.

_Dane nodded. _

"Eric's human is a telepath, correct?"

"She is," I confirmed.

"He is very lucky to have humans such as yourselves within his Area," Dane decided.

"I suppose he is," I replied.

_Dane finished his TruBlood and had another brought out. He soon had that polished off as well. _

"If you would like to feed on something more...sustaining, please do. Don't let my presence stop you," I said.

"It wouldn't be as satisfying," Dane sighed.

"Blood from the source?" I asked, confused.

_Dane closed his eyes and leaned in close to me. He literally inhaled my scent. I could feel the jealousy radiating from just about every woman in the bar. He sighed in a moment of ecstasy. I almost did too. Only in my dreams had I thought I'd be this close to Dane. _

"Eric should have warned me," Dane murmured.

"About?"

"That he was leaving me in the presence of a fae," Dane explained, his voice quivering with delight.

_My pinky probably contains all of my fairy-ness that I have. But that was still enough to be detected by vampires. _

"I'm like five percent fairy," I replied.

"It's still enough. I thought I smelled the scent of fae," Dane shuddered.

_He straightened himself. His fangs were fully extended now. _

"I wish to taste you," Dane said lowly.

_Dad's warning replayed in my head. I knew I should instantly decline, but if Dane really wanted to know what I tasted like, my rejection would do absolutely nothing. Plus, he asked as politely as a hungry vamp could. _

_I reached up, pressing my index finger against his sharp fang. His smooth lips wrapped around my finger as his long, cold fingers latched themselves around my wrist. He sucked every drop of blood up. His tongue roughly licking my finger. He soon let me go as he fell back against the booth. His eyes closed as he reveled in the taste of my blood. _

"Delicious," he said finally.

_His fangs retracted. _

_We continued to talk for twenty more minutes. It was nearing one o'clock by now and I had to head home. We both scooted out of the booth. Feeling closer to me now, Dane's arm instantly went to my waist. We walked out of Roslin's, with Dane's bodyguards following close behind. _

_He walked me to Dad's Corvette, however, he had yet to let me go. Dane turn to face me. He then bent down and brushed his lips against mine. He then stood back up. What a tease. _

"I hope to see you again, Kimberly. Perhaps, I'll call on you," he said with a brilliant smile.

"Oh, yeah...sure," I replied inarticulately.

_He then pulled a Sharpie from his pant's pocket and scrawled his name on to the backstage pass that was still around my neck. Capping the marker, Dane winked at me and turned around. _

_I numbly climbed into the Corvette and reacquainted myself with the driver's side of the car. I stuck the key in the ignition and headed home. _

_--_

Well, there's chapter three. I hope you enjoyed it. Drop me a review if you'd like. :)

-Forever Is Never Forever.


	4. Extended Family

Again, a big thanks to all of my readers and reviewers. I love you guys. :) Here's chapter 4, enjoy!

One more thing, since reading all nine books, I may end up letting some spoilers slip to those of you who haven't read all nine yet. I'm just warning you.

Disclaimer: Everything pretty much belongs to the wonderfully talented Charlaine Harris.

---

_I got home around one-thirty, carefully parking the Corvette behind the house. I made it all the way to the living room without being detected. That, however, did not last long. Dad sauntered into the living room from the hallway. He gave me a once over and seemed to be content with my appearance. But when his nostrils flared I knew I was in for it. I outwardly groaned. He had picked up Dane's scent. I had made it a point to douse myself with perfume as I walked towards the house. I guess my efforts were futile. _

_Before he could say anything, I showed him both sides of my neck and wrists. Those, of course, weren't the only places to be bitten, but they were the most common. _

"He didn't bite me," I pointed out.

"He has your blood though," Dad retorted.

_I frowned, _"How the hell do you know that?"

"I just do," he replied rather smugly.

"It was like two drops," I groaned.

"Two too many," he scolded, "From where?"

"My finger, all right?"

_I suddenly felt guilty for being so defensive. Dad only had my best interest in mind. He knew Dane far better than I did. For all I knew, Dane did this all the time as an easy feed. But the fangirl in me, wanted to think otherwise. _

"Just go to bed," he said sternly.

_I nodded, _"I'll see you when I come back for Spring Break."

"No more donating," he replied, half-jokingly.

"Yeah, yeah," I said, waving him off.

_Walking down the hallway, I passed Mom. _

"I guess you're upset with me too?" I called behind me.

"No, you're old enough to know what's right and what's wrong," she replied.

_Yay, more guilt. I don't even know why I felt guilty, I'm an adult. If I want to do stupid, life-threatening things well, I will. Ok, I won't but still. I sighed as I entered my room. I changed and made a quick trip to the bathroom. With my teeth brushed and my face washed, I settled into bed. However, my serenity was disturbed by my cousin, Hunter, coming into my room. He, like my mom and I, is telepathic. Hunter had moved in with us when he was nine, I was four at the time. His father, Remy Savoy, couldn't handle the pressures of having a telepathic son. Mom did all she could while Hunter was with Remy, but Red Ditch is a bit of drive from Bon Temps. And having her own little telepath to care for didn't help. But, she was more than happy to have Hunt live with us. His room is in the upstairs "apartment" for when he visits. Hunt now lives in Shreveport, working for Alcide Herveaux's company._

_Hunter sat on the edge of my bed. His longish dark hair hung in his eyes. Hunt was around my height or an inch taller. When we were younger, it was always a competition to see who was taller. Hunter is the closest thing I have to a big brother. _

"Did Uncle Eric get on ya for being with Dane?" he asked, being to the point.

"Was I broadcasting that loud?" I asked, "And I wasn't 'with' him."

_I sometimes forget I live in a house of telepaths-so nothing is truly a secret. Everything comes out eventually. You'll find yourself thinking about the "priceless" vase you've broken and then the next thing you know Mom's fuming. _

_Hunter laughed, _"Yeah, I'm pretty sure non-telepaths could hear you. And I'm sure Uncle Eric's idea of 'being with someone' is another man talking to you."

"Well, Dad hasn't said anything yet. Probably because I'm going back to school tomorrow," I replied, much to my relief.

Probably," Hunter agreed.

"You heading back to Shreveport tomorrow too?"

"I am. I just home my apartment is still in one piece," Hunter sighed.

"You and Rachel have another fight?" I assumed.

_Hunter sighed, _"Yeah."

"Maybe it's time to take a peak into her head?" I proposed.

"No, never," Hunter snapped.

"Fine, fine," I said amicably.

"I'm just saying, if you have to worry about your apartment every time you go out of town, you should reexamine your relationship," I said neutrally.

"You may be, unfortunately, right. I hate it when you're right," Hunter groaned jokingly.

"It's in my genes to be overly confident," I laughed, "And always right."

_Both our heads perked up. There was a familiar void coming towards the house. _

"It's Pam!" I said excitedly.

"I still don't get how you know it's her," Hunter replied as we left my room.

"Each vampire has their own, signature, I guess you could call it. If I'm around them long enough, I pick it up," I shrugged.

"Well, whatever it is, I still don't get it. I'm going to bed. Tell Pam I say 'hi'," Hunt said as he stood at the steps.

_We hugged. _

"Ok, night," I called.

"Night."

_I walked to the front door. I assumed Mom and Dad had gone back to their bedroom. But, they both knew Pam was here. I could hear them stir in the back. I opened the door. She greeted me with a bright smile and a kiss on the cheek. She was dressed in a pastel purple sweater and khakis. _

"Hello, little sister," Pam said warmly as she entered.

"Evening, Pam."

_Mom and Dad came out from the hallway. Both looked slightly surprised to see the suburban soccer mom looking vampire in the living room. _

"Pam, what brings you here tonight? Did anything happen at Fangtasia?" Dad asked, cutting to the chase.

"No, everything went smoothly. Well, we had one incident with a tourist, but that was taken care of. I'm here to see off my little sister," Pam explained.

"Good."

"Do you want something to drink?" Mom asked as she headed towards the kitchen.

"No, but thank you Sookie," Pam said, "Come Kim, let's talk. I want to know what you think about Dane."

"Oh, all right," I said as she took my hand.

_I look at Mom, who was returning with a cup of hot tea. _

_'How does she know so quickly?'_

_'Hun, I have no clue.'_

_Pam and I talked for about forty minutes or so. I filled her in on the events of the night, including Dane having a taste of my blood. She looked a little jealous after I told her that. _

"Well, what about that human of yours...Darren?" she asked, like all good older sisters do.

"I don't know. We're not a couple for sure, but I do like him. It just, he knows nothing about the supernatural world except from what he gets from the TV," I sighed, "Let alone my association to Dad."

"But, Dane doesn't know you're the flesh of Eric either," Pam pointed out.

"True. But, at the very least Dane knows that I know Dad and he's aware of the Supe world-since he's part of that world. I mean, Darren will never know there were once fairies roaming the land. At least, Dane knows they exist, just not in our world anymore," I rambled on, "And then, suppose Dane finds out that I am the flesh and blood of Eric Northman, I could simply explain the witch thing. Ok, not simply but still it's something I couldn't do with Darren."

"Sounds like you don't want to continue to see Darren," Pam observed, using her Dear Abby intellect.

"That maybe the case. I'll let know you how it all works out though," I assured her.

"You better."

"I promise."

"Well I must be off and you must sleep," Pam announced.

_I nodded, _"Good night, Pam."

"Good night, little sister."

_She kissed me on the cheek once more and left my room. Once the door closed I was out. _

_Waking up the following morning was bittersweet. I was once again leaving home. But I'd be back in no time, I reminded myself. Tumbling out of bed, I threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I could smell breakfast being made. I ran in and out of the bathroom. With my face washed, hair brushed, and make-up put on I made my way to the kitchen. Mom greeted me with a warm smile and a cup of hot coffee. _

_I grabbing a plate of the hot food, Mom and I settled down at the kitchen table. We chatted as I savored every bite of the food. Downing another cup of coffee, I placed my dishes in the sink. I grabbed a few snacks out of the fridge for the drive and I was ready to go. _

_I kissed Mom, _"I'll call you when we get there."

"Ok. Love you," she said with a half-smile.

"You can always call," I reminded her.

"I know. Drive safely," she added.

"Bye. Tell Dad I said 'bye'," I said as I grabbed my purse, "and Hunt too."

"I will," Mom assured me as she kissed my on the cheek again.

_I pulled my keys out of my bag and headed out the back door. Getting into my car, I could see Mom from the front porch. She waved to me as I drove down the gravel driveway. I waved back. I was soon on Hummingbird Drive and heading to the suburbs of Shreveport to pick up Erin. _

_I pulled up to her house. It was painted a pale blue with dark shutters and white trim. Her front door opened before I could even finish typing out my text. She kissed her Mom goodbye and started towards my car. I got out and opened the trunk. Erin placed her stuff next to mine. Closing the trunk, we both got into my car. We waved to Erin's Mom as we pulled out of the driveway. _

_Erin is about 5'2" with short, curly brown hair that ended at her chin and was highlighted with golden blond streaks. It was choppy, but it suited her fine. Depending on the way she styled it, her hair would fall in front of her green eyes. She's a medium build with a long torso. Erin had been my freshman year roommate. We became fast friends mostly because of her secret love of the Supe world and my infinite knowledge of it. _

_Once we were back on the highway, I started to tell her about my break. And in turn Erin told me hers. We had only seen each other twice during our time off. _

"Oh, so I got you something," I said as I looked over to her.

"Oooh, what?" she asked, curiously.

"It's in the red bag in the back," I said, my hand motioning to the back of the car.

_Eric reached back and plucked the Fangtasia bag from the floor of the car. She excitedly pulled the shirt from the bag. Erin gave me a big smile as she held it up to her. I picked from her brain that she couldn't wait to go over Spring Break with me. _

"You're the greatest Kim," Erin said, delighted.

"It's no big deal," I shrugged.

"So...? You have to tell me, what was it like in there?"

_I cleared my throat, _"First, I'm just letting you know that I need to swing by work because I told Sam I'd stop by before heading back to school. But, Fangtasia was interesting. I'd been there before, but not for long. I was in there for a while this time though. Mingled with some vampires."

"Sounds exciting!" Erin squealed.

"Oh yeah," I said.

"Did you see Eric?" Erin asked.

"Ah, no. He wasn't out the night I was there," I sighed, trying to seem sad.

_Erin shrugged, _"Let's just hope he's out we when go."

"For sure."

"But I did meet Dane," I said with a smile.

_Erin turned to fully face me. Her mouth agape. _

"Seriously?!" she practically shouted, "As in, the Dane from BloodLust and your celeb crush, Dane?"

"Yeah, last night actually," I added as we pulled up to Merlotte's, "Do you want come in?"

"No, but hurry back! I wanna hear all about you meeting Dane," Erin said.

"Ok, ok," I said as I got out the car.

_I walked up to the bar and peered into the window. I didn't see any lights on, not even from Sam's office. I went around back and up to Sam's trailer. I knocked on the door. Sam opened the door. I picked from his head surprise and happiness. _

"I wasn't expecting to see you so early," Sam said as he stepped outside.

"Well, I'm heading back to school today, right now actually, and I didn't get a chance to stop in last night," I explained.

"Oh, ok. I'm glad you did," Sam said with a smile.

"I didn't wake you up or anything, did I?" I asked, realizing it was morning. Late morning, but still.

"No, I was just waiting for the delivery guy. I just ordered another shipment of TruBlood. They just came out with another...flavor, I guess you would call it, AB negative. It's almost double the price though," Sam sighed.

"I'm sure you'll attract more vamps into your bar though...or at least get some repeat customers," I said positively.

_Sam nodded, _"Well, have a safe trip and good luck in school."

"Don't worry, we will. But, I'll have Mom call you just to let you know," I assured him.

"Good," Sam replied.

_We hugged. We said goodbye again and I headed back to my car. I knew Sam would be waiting outside until he knew I was safely in the car. Erin was patiently waiting for me to continue my story. I started up again once we were on the highway. _

"Ok, so last minute I got tickets to their concert at Roslin's," I said.

_Erin's brow furrowed, _"Isn't that bar super exclusive, like vampire and Were only exclusive?"

"Yeah, but I know a guy," I said, sounding cliché.

"You know a guy?" Erin repeated.

_I inwardly sighed, _"My Mom is friends with vampire who was willing to bring me."

"Ok, ok," Erin replied, "However you got there doesn't really matter. Tell me about Dane."

"Well, he's was pretty much the way I imagined. Suave, calm, and precise," I said decidedly.

"I'm so jealous!" Erin said with a smile.

"Next time they're in town, we'll go," I said.

_Erin smiled, _"Let's get to Fangtasia first."

"All right."

"So, what possessed you to go brunette with bangs?" Erin asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"I kinda just felt like it, you know? Why? You don't like it?"

"No, that's not it at all. I just loved you as a blond," Erin said warmly.

"Well you never know, I might go back," I said with a laugh.

_Erin shrugged, _"Either way, I'll still love your hair."

"Thanks," I replied, "I'm guessing you're not going to stop highlighting yours?"

"Nah, once you start, you kinda can't stop," Erin laughed.

--

_I stood on the porch, watching Kim leaving for college once more. I stayed there until I couldn't see her car anymore. I then looked over to the front yard, feeling sentimental. I recalled all the nights Kim and I were out there catching fireflies or playing catch or tag. It's still hard to believe that little ball of mischief and energy is now twenty and almost out of college. _

_I had to stop reminiscing unless I wanted to start with the water works. I let out a heavy sigh and reentered the house. As I passed the steps I could hear Hunter getting up. He'd be leaving too. Half of the family would be gone in a matter of hours. I gave myself a mental slap. It's not like they're leaving forever and they are adults now. _

_I poured myself another cup of coffee and sat myself down at the kitchen table. I was thumbing through the morning paper when Hunter came down. He poured himself a cup of coffee and grabbed a plate of food. Sitting across from me, we started a telepathic conversation. Why waste the energy of talking when you can just think?_

_'We had to grow up eventually, Aunt Sookie.'_

_'I know, but to me you two will always be my kids. I just want you two to be youngsters forever.'_

_Hunter laughed, 'Well if you really want us to be young forever, I'm sure Uncle Eric would have no problem in helping us achieve immortality...or as close to immortality as a vamp could be.'_

_'That's not funny."_

_"Not even a little?" He looked a tad embarrassed. _

_I rolled my eyes with a chuckle. _

_---_

Well there's chapter four! I know you've been voicing for a prequel, although I don't think they'll be a separate story for Kim's childhood, they'll definitely be flashbacks. But, if you guys are dead set on a separate story, let me know. I'll try to work it out. I write for my readers as well as my enjoyment, so I love to have your opinion. Drop me a review if you'd like. ;)

Until next time!

Forever Is Never Forever


	5. Karsten

Well, here's chapter five! Thanks again to my readers and reviewers! And of course, a big thanks to my beta, RubySun03.

Disclaimer: I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to the lovely Charlaine Harris!

--

_It had been two weeks since I went back to school. It was good to be back. I had missed many of my friends that live out of state. But the person I missed the most was my best friend, Karsten. His father is well known, Alcide Herveaux. Karsten had gone on vacation with his parents over break so I had been unable to see him. We had said 'hi' the first day back, but with a new semester we had yet to hang out. _

_He and his step-mom lived in Shreveport, so we had seen each other often. We practically grew up together. We had many play dates as kids and several real dates in our teen years. Karsten was many, if not all, of my firsts. I was a few of his too. First kiss, first date, first boyfriend, and, of course, first lover. Our relationship was far from perfect though. We were on again-off again for three years. Dad was a little peeved that I started dating a Were. Ok, little is the biggest understatement ever. He threatened to forbid me from seeing Karsten._

_But nothing compared to the night Dad found out Karsten and I had slept together. I was so sure I wouldn't see the next morning, although, it could have been worst if he'd caught us in the act. _

_We didn't talk for nearly a week after that incident. It would have continued longer, if Mom hadn't intervened. During that week, I was a little vindictive. Around the time Dad would rise, I would cook very strong smelling food. Dad is pretty tolerant about food (compared to most vampires), but I guess the combination of onions and tuna fish was a bit too much for him. At that point, Mom intervened. Dad and I were forced to settle our dating differences. _

_Looking back, I'm sorry I tortured Dad like that. But, knowing me, I probably would do it again. I now understand that at the time, Dad was just reacting to the fact that I wasn't his little, freckle-faced daughter anymore. To him, I'd rapidly grown up and I guess that freaked him out. When you're a vampire and you don't age or change for hundreds of years, seeing someone grow and change in a short sixteen years can be frightening. _

_Our relationship was slated to end eventually though. Karsten is the son of the leader of the Long Tooth pack. It was inevitable he'd one day have to marry another Were. Karsten was expected to produce a child and keep the Were population up. Although, the summer before my freshman year of college, Karsten told me he was willing to abandon the pack for me. It was around that time we broke up. I didn't want the knowledge of being the reason he would abjure himself from his pack and family. I know I'm not worth that much. At the time, Karsten seemed to think so. _

_During our off times, I dated several other Weres. Tray Dawson's son was one of them. I even got mixed up with a vampire, much to my parents' dismay. He was a young vamp, which made it all the worst. Well, young in comparison to Dad, infantile really. He was around fifty when I met him. I was just about to turn seventeen at the time. Mark was his name. Our 'relationship' was very brief._

_Dad was never truly content with anyone I dated. That was probably because they were all from the Supe world. I didn't bother to date a human boy. First, because I would fear for his life if I ever brought him home. Dad is kinda scary. Second, I would be too tempted to peek into his head. And third, explaining how Eric Northman, vampire sheriff, is my father is not an easy task. Even trying to explain it to Karsten was tough._

_So, I figured Supe guys could 'handle' Dad. That really wasn't the case, but they faired pretty well. Darren was the only partial exception, since we weren't official, by any means. _

_-_

_Erin and I had met for lunch that day, but we parted ways because she had class. Now I was sitting in the common doorway of my dorm, reviewing some notes. A familiar brainwave entered the room, it was Karsten. He was thinking intently about how he was going to sneak up on me. He placed his hands over my eyes. _

"Gee, I can only wonder who this is," I joked.

_Karsten sighed, _"I guess I was, ah...broadcasting too loud?"

"That and I know your signature," I clarified.

_He came around the couch and sat next to me. I closed my notebook and stuck it in my messenger bag which was next to my purse. Karsten had Alcide's dark hair and beautiful green eyes, but he lacked Alcide's tan. Even without it, he was the spitting image of Alcide. Just as strong too. He gave me one of those luminous smiles. _

"How was your break?" he asked.

"Great. Worked, saw a couple of bands, that's about it. Yours?"

"Good, my Dad made connections with different packs out in California while we were there," Karsten recounted.

_I nodded, _"That's good. Can't have too many allies."

_Karsten nodded. _

"So, I saw your human today," Karsten said, trying to be nonchalant.

"He's not my anything. We're not exclusive," I corrected.

_I picked from his brain a bit of surprise. _

_Karsten's brow rose, _"Oh?"

"Yes," I replied, "So, how's Carrie?"

_Carrie is a Were, also from the Long Tooth pack. The pack had grown quite large over the years. Many smaller packs had aligned themselves with the Long Tooth pack. There was never a shortage of new DNA, unlike in the Werepanther community in Hotshot. The little community had slowly gotten bigger, though inbreeding was still a problem. _

_Carrie and Karsten had been dating for a couple of months now. She was all right by me, but I could tell I wasn't her favorite. It's very rare that any of Karsten's girlfriends liked me, mainly because he put our friendship first. Not that I minded. I didn't care for his previous girlfriend, Megan anyway. She did everything in her power to keep us separated. But, Karsten had yet to put me before Carrie. So, I was sure Carrie's reason for not liking me stemmed from the fact that I marked my territory first, so to speak. We are, at the very least, civil towards one another. She is, after all, my best friend's girlfriend. _

"Are you busy, cause if you aren't, we should get some coffee and catch up some more," Karsten suggested.

"Sounds good, but I want to run my book bag up to my dorm first," I said.

"All right. Meet me on my floor?" Karsten said as we walked towards the elevators.

_I nodded, _"Sure."

_We got into the elevator. Karsten left me on the third floor. I would be going up to the fourth floor. The elevator made its familiar ding and I got off. Walking to the end of the hallway, I reached my dorm room. I opened the door just enough to throw my messenger bag near my bed and grab my jacket and scarf from the hook. I then turned on my heels and headed back for the elevator. Pressing the down button, the elevator doors opened promptly. I went down one floor and was soon headed towards Karsten's dorm. _

_I knocked on the door, he called me in. He and his roommate, Josh, were talking. Unlike Karsten, Josh is a plain ol'human. But they got along just fine and Josh is good in my book too. He respects Karsten for what he is and even likes having a Were roommate-so his brain told me. _

_Karsten and I left for one of the café style dining halls. We each bought a cup of coffee and found a little booth in the far corner of the dining hall. We spent a few hours catching up and talking about our new classes. We would have continued longer, but my stomach let out a long growl. _

"I guess I'm hungry," I laughed.

"I am too, let's go get something to eat," Karsten said as he stood up.

_We walked back up to the counter and got a couple of sandwiches and drinks. Returning to our booth, we found Carrie standing there. She was angry, very angry. Oh geez, here we go. I was really hungry; I just wanted to eat with my best friend. Is that too much to ask?_

"Where the hell have you been?!" she demanded.

"Catching up with Kim, why?" Karsten asked.

_She huffed, _"We had a date tonight!!"

"Oh...."

"Oh? Oooh?!" Carrie shouted.

_Well, it looked like Karsten's streak of putting Carrie before me had ended. _

_I cautiously backed away from them, _"I'm gonna take this to go. I'll see you later Karsten."

"No, stay and eat dinner with _my _boyfriend! I figured you two were up to something anyway," she continued.

_Karsten groaned, _"We're not up to anything. Do you honestly think I was cheating on you?"

"You didn't text me back!" Carried rebutted.

"When did you text me?"

"Just now," she said curtly.

"I was getting food, I'm sorry I can't multi-task like you," Karsten snapped.

_I cut Carrie off before she could continue her tirade, _"Just stop. Karsten's not cheating on you with me or anyone else."

_She rolled her eyes, _"Fine, whatever. I'll see you later Karsten, maybe."

_Carrie left as soon as she had appeared. Thankfully, there weren't many people in the dining hall or Carrie would have caused a scene. Karsten and I sat down. We ate in silence. Karsten was steadily thinking about Carrie. I blocked his thoughts out though. That was none of my business. _

"Do you think I'd be making a mistake if I continued to go out with her?" he asked.

"Well, she's a little paranoid and she's over protective. Also, she gets jealous easily. But, if you really like her then, yeah maybe," I said.

"Please Kim, don't hold back," Karsten said, his sarcasm evident.

_I shrugged, _"You asked me an honest question and I gave you an honest answer."

"I can't argue with that," he sighed.

"Look, at the end of the day the only thing that matters is your opinion about Carrie, not mine," I reasoned.

_He gave me a half smile, _"Thanks Kim."

_We finished up and left the dining hall. As we walked towards the dormitory, it started to snow. I love the snow. I was lucky enough to see some over break back home. Dad and I had a good time that day. _

_Karsten and I finally got to our dorms. We parted ways once we reached his floor. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before hopping off the elevator. I went up another level and soon found myself in my dorm. Surprisingly, Erin wasn't already there. I shrugged to myself, she'd be here soon. It was only six o'clock after all. _

_I flopped down on my bed and pulled out my laptop. I checked my email. I'd gotten two from Dad. One was asking all the normal parent stuff. The other was really from Fangtasia's mailing list. It contained the invitation for Dad's annual Dracula Ball. How 'Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin' of you Dad. Every year he held a birthday party for Dracula, eagerly hoping that the honoree would show. This year's theme was a masquerade. I'd have to make a reminder for myself. _

_I continued going through my email until my telepathy alerted me that Darren was coming down the hallway. I closed my laptop and quickly straightened up. He knocked on the door. I let him wait a couple of seconds. I didn't need him thinking I was expecting him. After another moment, I opened the door and did my best to look surprised. _

_We greeted each other and I let him in. He sat down at my desk while I perched myself on the edge of my bed. _

_I had met Darren the first week of school. Out of habit, I did a quick scan of his brain and he seemed nice enough. We had a class together and had worked together on a project. After class we started to hang out more frequently. I had gotten the impression right away that he wanted to be more than just friends. I was hesitant at first. I was never interested in dating just humans. But, Darren was different and I couldn't place how. I guess he fascinated me. I hate to say it, but my initial attraction to Darren was strictly physical. He had that All-American charm to him, tall, dirty blond, with deep brown eyes. He's built like a running-back, since he is one. So after much deliberation, I gave Darren a chance. _

_Our first date went well. A bit awkward, because I could hear his thoughts almost every second. So, I had to block him out. Nevertheless, we continued to go out for the duration of the semester. Now, I don't know what we are to one another. Our mysterious relationship was only muddled more by Dane. Not that I was hoping he'd magically show and take me away. I'm not that crazy. Nevertheless, Darren is an interest, but not without his faults. Every now and again he lets an anti-vampire/supe remark slip. In his defense, Darren doesn't know how strongly I feel about the Supe community. But he does know I am tolerant of all people. He's also a little too hands-y, for my taste at least. Sometimes I swear all he wants to do is get into my pants. _

"So, how was your break?" he asked.

"Good, saw a lot of my, ah, extended family," I explained.

_Darren nodded, _"That's good. I did the same."

"I was actually on my way out to the city," I lied, but it didn't seem like a bad idea.

"Oh? What going on there?"

"You know, just reacquainting myself with Baton Rouge," I said.

"Would you like some company?" he asked, smoothly.

"Well, I'm meeting Karsten at our favorite restaurant to catch up, but you're welcome to join us," I said.

_I knew Karsten would be in his dorm for the rest of the night, avoiding Carrie. Which is good because then I won't be trapped in my little lie. I didn't even know why I was lying; all I knew was that I didn't want any romantic company. _

_Darren shook his head, _"No, but thanks. I'll see you later."

_He got up, lightly kissed me, and left. _

_I hadn't taken my jacket off yet, so I kept it on and decided to make good on my lie to Darren. _

_I left the building and took one of the shuttles to the city. The university was pretty much on top of Baton Rouge, so it only took about five minutes to get into the heart of the city. I walked the familiar streets, eyeing my favorite eateries and shops. It had since stopped snowing, much to my disappointment. _

_I rounded the corner and found myself heading towards my favorite coffee shop. I love my subconscious sometimes. But before I could buy myself a mocha or latte, who, but Dane came strolling down the same side of the street. I stopped in my tracks. They weren't scheduled to play in Baton Rouge. Needless to say, I was confused, but excited. _

_He was dressed in a dark casual dress shirt and jeans. The sleeves were rolled up, giving me a good glimpse of his strong forearms. His short, dark, wavy hair was manicured to perfection. His sapphire eyes wandered, taking in the city. Just looking at him made me melt. As he walked, I could see his well defined legs flex and recoil. I couldn't help but smile._

_We walked towards each other. I pretended not to see him, but when I looked up, we were looking at one another. He smirked as he continued to walk towards me. We finally met. _

"Kimberly," he greeted.

"Dane," I said, breathlessly.

"Fancy meeting you here," he said.

_I smiled_, "I could say the same to you."

"We're on our way to New Orleans, but I decided to make a stop here," Dane explained.

_I nodded. _

"What brings you to the wonderful city of Baton Rouge?" he asked.

"Oh, I go to school here," I said.

"You're quite a ways from Shreveport," Dane noted.

"It could be worst," I replied.

_He nodded in agreement as we started walking again._

_We entered the coffee shop I was originally headed towards. It was nice and warm inside. It looked as if we had walked into someone's home. The shop just radiated homeyness. Dane and I ascended the stairs to a small loft. We perched ourselves on a corner-shaped couch. _

"Are you here with the band?" I asked.

"No, they've gone ahead of me. I needed to meet with someone in town," he replied.

"Oh, who?"

"You," he smiled.

_Hmm…Was not expecting that. He continued to smile while I tried to collect my thoughts. They weren't coming together though. _

"Oh," _I mumbled. _

_Dane looked around for a moment, _"I understand you know a bit of Swedish?"

"Yeah, I do," I replied.

_I actually know a lot of Swedish thanks to Dad and Pam. I wouldn't say I was fluent by any means, but I knew enough. It came in handy sometimes, when I was at Fangtasia and I needed to relay certain messages to Dad or Pam. _

_Dane spoke again, but this time in Swedish, _"I know you're Eric's child."

"I'm not a vampire," I replied, playing dumb.

"Oh, I know that much. You are his flesh and blood," Dane continued.

"How did you find out?"

"You look very much like him. Eric was unusually protective of you when we first met, as well. But, I talked to several other vampires. They all said you were his daughter," Dane concluded.

_I sighed, _"Does Eric know that you know?"

"I don't believe so. But, I have avoided him since having your blood. I'm sure he wasn't too pleased to hear about that," Dane laughed.

"You're right about that," I said, laughing myself.

"So, are you still not spoken for?" Dane asked, switching back to English.

"No, I'm not," I replied.

"Good, then I can do this," he whispered.

_Before I could ask what he meant, his lips were pressed against mine. His tongue slowly made its way into my mouth as I reciprocated his kiss. His kiss was intense, but I soon pulled away. Not that I wanted to though. I hadn't had a kiss like that in ages. He was dominant, but not overbearing-Dane had mastered the art of kissing very well. It sent a wonderful shiver down my spine. It made me wonder; if his kissing was this good what else he was good at. But, if we're going to get hot and heavy, it wasn't going to be in a coffeehouse. _

"Have I done something wrong?" Dane asked.

"No, no, no...You were fine, perfect. Just not here," I said.

"Where then?" he asked, giving me a fang-y smile.

--

Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I've made a forum for this story, you can find the link on my profile. There you'll find teasers to the next chapter, a discussion board, and an 'Ask the Author'. So check it out. ;)

Forever Is Never Forever


	6. Kiss and Tell

Well, I'm very sorry for the delay! Enjoy! Thanks again to my wonderful beta, RubySun03.

Disclaimer: What isn't mine belongs to the lovely Charlaine Harris.

--

_I was hesitant to answer. Erin and I would always joke that if I were given the chance to sleep with Dane, I would. But, never in a million years did I think I would meet him, let alone be given the opportunity. And now that I have didn't mean I was going to lose all moral ground. _

"I wasn't completely honest with you," I sighed.

_Dane gave me a questioning look, _"How so?"

"I'm not spoken for as you put it, but I am sort of seeing someone," I explained.

"I see," he said neutrally, "I suppose it's for the better anyways."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The band and I have another month or so of shows," he paused, "And, I'm not a one-night stand type of guy despite what the magazines and tabloids like to say."

_I smiled slightly, _"I always figured you weren't the way they portrayed you."

"That's good to know," he chuckled, "Perhaps, when we're done touring I can get to know you properly."

"I'd like that," I agreed.

_Dane stood up. I followed soon after. We looked at each other for a few moments. I noticed that Dane had a bit of stubble around his chin. It suited him well. At a glimpse, Dane appears to be your average (well not really average, more like gorgeous) twenty-eight year old. But from where I was standing he was much more than that. _

"Allow me to walk you home," he said as he took my hand.

"You don't have to," I replied, waving him off.

"I'd like to," Dane rephrased.

"Ok," I said, smiling more.

_We left the loft. I led up towards the counter. I made the trip here so I might as well get my drink. I mulled over the menu, trying to figure out what I wanted. I finally decided on a mocha. I placed my order with Mike, the owner. We had developed a friendship over the course of my college education. He was a nice guy, mid-thirties, and had block-ish build. Dark red hair topped his head, complementing his fair skin. A week or so before mid-terms or exams I would stop in twice a day, getting my caffeine fix. It was an added bonus to leave the campus for a bit too._

"Anything else?" Mike asked, more towards me than Dane.

"No, that's it," I replied.

"Ok, your drink will be right up," he said with a brief smile.

_Mike produced my drink and I left him a tip. We said goodnight to one another and Dane and I soon left. I sipped my drink as we walked back towards the shuttle stop. Dane still had my hand in his. As we walked, I tried to read Dane's mind again. I still wasn't sure if I actually had that night at Josephine's. I waited for a moment, but I nearly screamed when I heard Dane thinking. It was so surreal. It was only if I purposefully listened for him that I could hear his thoughts. That was something I could get used to. We continued to walk and as we did, I wondered if I could telepathically talk to him. I stopped wondering and tried. _

_'Dane?' _

_He turned to look at me, but did not physically say anything, 'Yes?'_

"I don't get it," I mumbled.

"What?" he asked, looking about as confused as a vampire can.

"I can hear your thoughts, but only if I listen for them. Which is just fine by me. And we can apparently speak telepathically too. But, can you hear my thoughts too?" I rambled, trying to explain myself, "I mean, can you hear them only if you want to or do you not have control over them?"

_Dane smiled, _"I can control what I hear from you. However, it seems I can only communicate with telepaths. Not that I have met that many, but the ones I have met I can 'talk' to."

"Yeah, telepaths can only communicate with one another," I confirmed.

_We reached the shuttle stop and I turned to Dane, _"I suppose this is where we say 'goodbye'."

"This is not your university," he pointed out, cheekily.

_I shook my head and chuckled, _"Yes, I know. But the shuttle comes around ever twenty minutes or so."

"I'm not leaving you on some street corner in the dark," Dane said decidedly.

"I'll be fine, I promise," I assured him.

"How far is the school from here?" he asked, ignoring my statement.

"About five minutes if you drove," I said as I finished my mocha.

_Dane nodded as he turned his back to me. He looked over his shoulder, _"Hop on."

"I'm...sorry?" I asked, not sure if I was understanding correctly.

"I'm going to take you home," he explained as he turned toward me slightly.

_I sighed, impatiently_, "I told you I'd be Ok. I'm not helpless you know."

"Yes, I know," he said unblinkingly.

_Vampires can be thick sometimes and not realize that chivalry is, for the most part, dead. But, I'll go with it. To be honest, I really didn't want to wait for the stupid shuttle anyway. So, I tossed the paper cup into a trash can. I walked closer to Dane and placed my hands on his strong, broad shoulders. I bent my knees slightly and pushed myself up. Dane caught my legs with his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist. Slinking my arms under his, I held on while Dane's hands positioned themselves behind my knees. _

_With his vampiric speed we were already half way down the road and out of the city. I kept my body firmly pressed against his. We were moving so fast I never felt any of bumps or dips in the road. It felt like we were flying almost. And before I knew it, we were on campus. _

_Dane gently lowered me to the ground and his fingers were soon laced with mine. The campus was deserted for the most part. Only a few students were lingering around the grassy area of the Quad. But, they did not stay long. A chill had picked up in the air as the night had grown later. I was only now just feeling it. It was that biting cold too. I walked a little faster towards my building. We neared the entrance when Dane stopped me. He pulled me close to him. His pallid skin glowed in the shadow cast by the building. _

_Dane leaned down and pressed his lips against mine as he pushed me backwards. Our kiss deepened once my back hit the brick wall of the dormitory. My arms were wrapped around his neck, not allowing him to leave. He had a fistful of my hair in one hand and the side of my neck in the other. Our bodies were pressed together. We fought each other for dominance, I once again felt the wonderful intrusion of Dane's tongue. I ran my tongue along the curves of his now protruding fangs. I pricked it against their points, giving him a small taste of my blood again. Dane let a low, guttural moan once he tasted it. He kissed me harder. I reciprocated just as vigorously as I ran my fingers through his dark, perfect hair._

_I pulled away slightly to get a gasp of air, but Dane brought me back again. He left my lips and kissed his way down my jaw and neck. He scraped his fangs against my skin. Kissing, sucking, and nipping his way the other side of my neck, Dane returned to my lips. I welcomed his lips back with a greedy kiss of my own. His kisses were toe-curling to say the least, but I had to pull away again. And for good this time. _

"Thanks...for walking...me back," I said, stumbling over my words.

"You're quite welcome," he said with a grin. His fangs still sticking out a bit.

_I gave him a goofy smile. He chuckled, _"What's your phone number?"

_It took me a moment to ramble off the digits. My mind was still spinning from the kiss. I watched in a daze as Dane entered the numbers into his phone. I hadn't realized he had even gotten it out. He slipped the phone back into his pocket and stepped back from me. We straightened ourselves out and walked over to the entrance to the building. Dane pecked me on the cheek. Within an instant Dane was gone. We didn't say "goodbye", but it technically wasn't goodbye because we agreed to see one another again. Or maybe I was reading too much into it. Well whatever, I just had an intense kissing session with the lead singer of my favorite band and celebrity crush. Nothing else really mattered for right now. _

_I entered the dorm with that same goofy smile on my face. Erin had since come back and was sitting at her desk. I flopped down on to the little couch in the 'living room' after I shucked my coat. The dorm was in the style of a small apartment. A very small apartment, but it was bigger than most of the apartments since we had a corner unit. Two bedrooms, a bathroom, decent size kitchen, and living room. The walls were a plain beige color, but Erin and I solved that problem with many posters and pictures. It was enough for the two of us. We agreed for our senior year we'd get a townhouse with another friend of ours, Vicky. _

_I let out a content sigh. Erin stopped what she was doing on her laptop and swiveled her chair to face me. I picked from her brain she was going to ask me something. _

"Who'd you kiss?" she asked.

"What?" I asked. _That wasn't the kind of question I was expecting. _

_She shook her head and laughed, _"I saw you outside, just now. You were making out with some guy, who wasn't Darren."

"You saw us?" I asked, unsure if that was a good or bad thing.

"M-hmm."

"Oh," was all I could get out at the moment, "Well you're right, it wasn't Darren."

"I know I'm right, so who was it?" Erin asked excitedly, "Because he looked an awful lot like Dane. Well, what I could see of him. That would be so funny if it actually was him."

_I chuckled, I could hear the nervousness in it, _"Yeah."

"Yeah what?" she asked, giving me a puzzled look.

"It was Dane," I confirmed.

_Erin's jaw dropped and I never saw her eyes as wide as they did now. I think if she could have screamed, she would have. _

"Holy shit, really?!" she practically shouted.

_I nodded, _"Yep."

"How?!"

"Well, I went into the city and we ran into one another on the street," I explained, trying not to sound cliché. Erin indicated she wanted me to continue with a raise of her brow, "We went to Mike's for a bit and...talked. I had to get back and Dane offered to walk me home. And well he did. We made it to the building and he just kissed me."

"It was more than just a kiss," Erin pointed out.

_I nodded, _"Could be."

"What do you mean?"

"Dane wants to meet up again after their tour," I said, smiling slightly.

"That's so exciting!" Erin squealed.

"I know!" I agreed, I couldn't contain myself now, "But, I'm not going to be delusional and expect to see him again. It would be nice though."

"Well, it's not like you just talked and he said he'd call you or whatever. He clearly likes you or he wouldn't have kissed you," Erin reasoned.

"True," I nodded, "Well, I'm gonna get a quick shower and do a bit of reading."

"All right," she said, "Jack and I are going to get something to eat in a bit."

"Ok, tell him I say 'hi'," I added before getting up.

_Erin and Jack had been dating since sophomore year, although they were on again-off-again in the very beginning. Regardless, they are _**_that_**_ cute couple. Always doing something together. It can be a little annoying sometimes, especially when he's the only thing Erin can think or talk about. But that only seems to be when they hit some sort of relationship milestone. Last one was their year anniversary, her craziness lasted about a week. I spent a lot of time with Karsten and Vicky that week. _

_I headed for my room. I grabbed my pajamas from my bed and left for the bathroom. I undressed, throwing my clothes into a pile in the corner. Turning the water on to the correct temp, I hopped in. Once I finished getting cleaned up, I lingered under the hot water for a bit. Mostly thinking about Dane. I wondered if we had any potential, but I didn't think about it too long. I pushed Dane to the back of my mind for the time being. I turned the water off and dried myself. Slipping my pajamas on, I flipped my hair down and towel dried it. I ran the hair dryer over it for a bit too. I finished up by doing the rest of my bathroom rituals. _

_Gathering my clothes up, I headed back for my room. Tossing them into the laundry basket, I went over to my bed and sat down. I grabbed my phone from my pillow and checked it while I waited for my laptop to turn on. I had several new text messages. Two from Darren, wanting to know if I wanted to do something tomorrow. I replied saying I would. The other was from a number I was unfamiliar with. Opening it, I soon found out it was from Dane. The thoughts I had pushed away twenty minutes ago came rushing back. He told me he had a good time tonight and he'd text me later. I replied and saved his number to my contact list. _

_I quickly went through my email again, updated some statuses, and did a little online browsing. I soon felt drowsy and decided it was time to hit the hay. I shut down my laptop and set it on the nightstand. Turning off the desk lamp on the same nightstand, I curled up under the covers. Before succumbing to sleep, I grinned slightly as I placed my fingertips to my lips. _

_I awoke around ten the following morning, such is the life of a college student. Thankfully though, I did not have class today. But, I did have some reading to do since I didn't do it last night. I sat up and stretched. I checked my phone, I had missed six text messages apparently. Going through them, two were from Darren, one from Erin, one from Mom, another from Dad, and surprisingly one from Dane. I replied to all of them, although I knew two wouldn't be read until dark. Both Darren and Erin got back to me right away, but I ignored them. I was hungry and that was top priority right now. I plodded my way to the kitchen and pulled together a bowl of cereal and orange juice. I'd get coffee later in the day when I needed it. I finished eating and went back to my room. I replied to the two texts I had ignored earlier and grabbed my text book from the floor. _

_After some, ah, light reading I jumped in and out of the shower. Darren was swinging by to 'pick me up' for our date at any moment now. I stood in front of the mirror, trying to figure out what to do with my hair. It was a just a mess of waves but not in the stylish, tousled sort of way. Well when I have the time or mind to, it can look that way. I heard a knock at the door, so I just pulled it up into some sort of up-do. _

_I grabbed my purse and coat from the hook by the door before opening it. Darren greeted me with a smile and kiss. He tried to deepen it, but I pulled away. He sighed, _"Are we ever going further than five seconds of kissing?"

"Stop asking and maybe we will," I replied, but in a joking manner.

_Darren made a face, which I returned with my own. We both laughed. I closed the door behind us as we walked towards the elevator. Once our laughter settled, I was reminded that I was in the presence of a human. I quickly put my shields up, but not quick enough. I still heard a good portion of his thoughts while we walked. He was thinking about work he had for one of his classes and how he wished my top was cut a little lower. I inwardly sighed. _

_We reached the elevator and went down to the first floor. Darren by now had his arm slinked around my waist. His thumb was stuck through one of the belt loop of my pants. We were crossing the Quad and going towards the shuttle stop. I looked to him, _"Where are we going?"

"I have reservations for lunch/dinner," he said as we walked.

"Oh ok. Sounds good," I replied.

_We reached the shuttle stop. Darren pulled me close, so I was standing in front of him. He brought his other arm around my stomach. The shuttle came within a matter of minutes. Darren let go of me, but still kept me in at an arm's length. The ride was short, like it always is but I decided to take a quick peak into Darren's head. He was thinking normal things like hoping I would like the restaurant. He wasn't sure if I liked Italian, luckily, I do. And he was wondering why a girl named Alice kept hitting on him when he made it clear he wasn't interested. People's thoughts can be very boring, although this Alice might be a problem. Then again, we weren't exclusive. My thought exploration was interrupted when we arrived in the city. However, I was certain I heard something else. I didn't like what I potentially heard either. As we walked I tried to replay the thought over and over in my head. I couldn't remember it completely, but two components were "meeting" and "Fellowship of the Sun". But, I would give him the benefit of the doubt since I didn't have a complete thought to go by. _

_We made it to the restaurant, it was a cute bistro-style corner building. It was lit with low lighting, candles, and mandolin music. The whole shebang. We were sat towards the back. While Darren's eyes lingered on the hostess' tush, I mulled over the menu. _

_Once we ordered, Darren steered our conversation onto family unfortunately. He started talking about his family. His father owned several hardware stores and his mother was an English teacher. Darren had two younger siblings. They're twins, a boy and girl named Chris and Leah. While he told me all of this, I nodded and smiled. Our food came and we stopped talking. It seemed I had dodged a conversational bullet. However, after three bites in Darren looked and said, _"What about your family?"

"Oh, well my mom is a full time waitress at a bar called Merlotte's. I think I told you about it," I said, taking a bite of my pasta.

_Darren nodded, _"You work there too, yeah?"

"Yep. And then there's my cousin, Hunter. But, he doesn't really live with us anymore. He's living out in Shreveport now," I added.

"And your dad?" he asked after short pause.

"He's dead," I replied nonchalantly.

"Oh, ok," Darren said. He seemed to be a little surprised, "I'm sorry for bringing it up."

_I waved him off, _"It's fine. He's been gone a long, long time now."

"Do you have any memories of him?" Darren asked curiously.

_Apparently, I gave him the green light to just ask away. I nodded, _"Plenty. Honestly, it's like he never left."

"That's good," Darren agreed as he ate more of his food.

_We finished up and left. Darren and I strolled through the city, picked up some coffee, and then headed back to school. We were up in the apartment before I knew it and once again, Darren had me against a wall. I picked from his mind that he wanted sex, again. His hands worked to get my shirt off, but I pushed him back. _

"I have work to do," I said as I removed myself from his grasp.

"I don't appreciate you teasing me like this," he groaned as he straightened himself up.

_I sent a short glare his way, _"Yeah, well I'm sorry I don't put out like you want me to."

"I just want a little more than a kiss, that's all," he pouted.

"Well, you're going to have to wait," I replied, "I'll see you later."

"Fine."

_Darren snuck a quick peck on my cheek before leaving. I rolled my eyes to his back. Picking up my purse that had subsequently fell, I headed back to my room. Pushing the door open, I entered my room. I yelped when I heard a tapping on my window. I jumped and turned to see who was at my third floor window. I walked over and slid the window open. _

"There are these things called doors," I told him, sarcastically.

"Oh, but you should be used to it by now," my wonderful father replied.

_He came in, feet first as gracefully as a 6'5" Viking could through a small window. He sat himself on my bed, I joined him as well. _

"I don't care for this Darren. He only wants one thing from you," he observed.

"How long were you out there for?" I asked.

"Long enough," he said with a short smile, "I see you're quite popular with the boys."

"I'm sorry?"

_He looked around my room, as if it had changed over break, _"Dane's had more of your blood."

"He, ah, did," I admitted, "Is that the only reason you're here?"

"No, just stopped by on my way down to New Orleans. Felipe de Castro has called a meeting for all of the Sheriffs," he explained, "Do you care deeply for the human?"

_I assumed he meant Darren, _"Truthfully, I don't know."

"Are you still talking to the Were?" he continued.

"Karsten, yes. He's my best friend, Dad," I said with a chuckle.

"Oh, your mom sent these," he said thoughtfully.

_Dad pulled a small wax paper bag from his pocket and handed it to me. It contained snickerdoodle and sugar cookies. She must be in the baking mood again. I smiled, _"I'll call to thank her later."

"So will you be attending the Dracula Night party?" he asked eagerly.

"I believe so," I said.

"Good," Dad said as he stood up, "I must go, but I will talk to you soon."

_I stood up too, _"Alright, thanks for the visit."

"Of course," he replied.

_We hugged and he kissed me on the forehead. Dad then oh-so-nimbly flew out from my window. I closed it behind him as he gave me a quick wave before flying off. And no sooner had Dad left, Erin came running in. _

"Hey, who were you talking to?" Erin asked as she peered around.

"No one, I had my phone on speaker while I was looking for something," I shrugged.

"Oh ok," she grinned, "So, I think Jack might be popping the question soon. Oh, I wish I could read minds sometimes!"

"It's not as great as you'd think," I mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing! But, that's great!" I said quickly.

--

Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Drop me a review if you like. :)


	7. Girls Day Out

First off, I want to thank all of you both readers and reviewers. As well as my beta, RubySun03. Here's chapter seven, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Only my OCs belong to me. Anything else, belongs to the wonderful Charlaine Harris.

--

_I sometimes forget how fast time passes by. Dracula Night was at the end of the week and I was far from ready. Periodically, I did some online browsing but that was the extent of my preparation. Recently I found a dress I liked a lot. However, I hadn't had the time to go and get it. _

_The website where I found the dress was up on my computer screen while I was cooking. In between adding spices and boiling water, I continued to look around on the site. _

_Erin came in and we greeted one another. I picked from her brain that she was happy that I was making something to eat since she was very hungry. As she passed the small desk where my laptop sat, Erin took a peek at the screen. _

"That's a cute dress, what's it for?" she asked, her head in the fridge.

"Oh, Dracula Night," I replied absentmindedly.

_Erin hit her head on the top interior of the fridge. She spewed a few curses as she closed the door with a bottled water in hand, _"Did you say 'Dracula Night'?"

"Um, yeah," I said, staring at my cooking on the stove.

"How did you manage that? I was always told that's a Supe only event," she said thoughtfully as she sat down at the table.

"It is, usually. But, my Mom's good friends with a few of the vampires at Fangtasia. So we're usually on the guest list," I said, casually, "She's pretty friendly with Eric too."

"Really?" Erin asked, her interest peaking.

"Ah, yeah. She saved his ass once or twice, so she's in his good graces," I said, still very interested in the status of my pasta sauce.

_Erin opened her water and took a sip of it, _"How long has she known him?"

"Over twenty years now," I replied.

"So, I'm guessing she and Eric's human know each other since they've been together at least that long," Erin said, tapping into her Supe knowledge.

"I'm guessing so. I don't see him as much as my Mom does though," I explained, "Eric's not as terrifying as he makes himself out to be. Ok well, he's still pretty intimidating but you know what I mean."

_I hate not being able to tell Erin the complete truth. But, I make it a point to not outright lie to her. _

"She's so lucky. He is so gorgeous," she sighed contentedly.

"Yeah, he is," I agreed.

"How many times have you gone to Dracula Night?" Erin inquired.

"Oh, this is my fourth time now," I said.

"So you're a pro at this then," Erin laughed.

_I smiled, _"Sure, why not?"

"So, is there any possibility you could bring one particularly good friend to Dracula Night?" Erin asked with a big grin.

"Oh, Karsten's already going. He and his dad are invited since Alcide is packmaster," I shrugged, being cheeky.

_Erin lovingly rolled her eyes at me, _"You know what I mean!"

"I'll call my Mom later and see what she says. But, I can't make any promises. This is like...Christmas for the vampires," I explained, seriously.

"I know. It'd just be fun if I could, I understand if I can't though. You'll just have to give me a play-by-play when you get back," Erin said understandingly.

"Oh I will," I grinned.

_I finished cooking and Erin set the table. I served dinner while Erin and I discussed classes and such. Taking a bite of pasta, we continued to talk_, "So, any idea when Jack's gonna propose?"

"Nope, not a clue," Erin shrugged.

"Soon, I'm sure," I assured her.

"Yeah?"

_I was pretty sure Jack was on the verge of asking Erin and she seemed to think so too. The last time I took a look into his head he'd been thinking about the engagement rings he'd been looking at. Of course, Jack could have been thinking about engagement rings for whatever reason, but, as Erin's friend I'd like to think that the reason was Erin. I was hoping he'd ask her. Jack's such a good guy. He's sweet and so wonderful to Erin. Never once did I "hear" anything bad from Jack and I checked on numerous occasions. He's completely devoted to Erin. The same could be said about Erin. She's absolutely, 100% in love with Jack. _

_We cleaned up and parted for our bedrooms. Erin said she'd be studying for the rest of the night. Once in my room, I first tried calling Dad. It was a ridiculous idea of course. I got his voicemail, like I expected. I figured he was already at Fangtasia driving Pam and everyone else up the wall. But they'd be good subordinates and heed Dad's beck and call. Since it was so close to the big night, Dad was probably finding some little decoration that needed to be changed. Simply put, Dad is Bridezilla and Dracula Night is his dream wedding._

_ I sprawled out on my bed and called up Mom. She picked up on the second ring, _"Hey honey."

"Hi Mom," I greeted.

"How's school going?" she asked, her Mom senses kicking in.

"Great, my classes this semester are a little tough though," I said.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine. But, you know you can't let your grades slip below a B+," she reminded me.

_I sighed, _"Yes, I know."

"And how's Karsten?" she asked.

"He's good. I think Carrie's going to be the death of him though," I joked.

_Mom laughed, _"I wouldn't doubt it. Did Erin like her Fangtasia shirt?"

"Oh yeah. Speaking of Erin, I had a question," I explained.

"Alright, ask away."

"Well, I let it slip to Erin that I was going to Dracula Night," I said.

_Mom m-hmm'd and waited for me to continue. _

"I wanted to know if I could bring her," I went on, "I tried calling Dad, but we both know how he is now."

"Crazy, yes. Well, I don't see why not. I'd call Pam just in case though," Mom advised.

"Alright, I'll do that. Thanks," I replied.

"Anytime, I'll see you soon and I love you," she said happily.

"Love you too," I returned, "Bye."

"Bye."

_We both hung up and I was soon dialing Pam. She picked up on a half ring, _"Hello, little sister."

"Hi Pam, how's Dad doing?" I asked.

"He's working tirelessly for the arrival of our prince," Pam said, her voice hinting of sarcasm.

"I'm not surprised," I chuckled.

"So, what's going on Kim? Eric'll kill me if I'm gone for too long," Pam said.

"Would it be alright if I bring a human friend with me on Dracula Night?" I asked, hopefully.

_Pam was silent for a moment, _"Darren?"

"No, no. Erin," I explained.

"Oh, she's the Supe aficionado," Pam recalled.

"That's her," I verified.

"She can come, but you must be responsible for her," Pam said.

"Great, thanks Pam. I'll see you soon," I said appreciatively.

"Anytime and goodbye," Pam assured me.

_I heard the click signaling Pam had hung up. I slid my phone into my jeans' pocket as I sat up. I walked across the small hallway and knocked on Erin's door. She called me in. _

"We have to go dress shopping tomorrow," I smiled.

"Really?!" Erin squealed.

"Yep, it's a good thing we both have class in the morning," I said.

_Erin got up from her bed and hugged me, _"You're the greatest, you know that right?"

"Yeah, I know," I replied innocently.

"Don't let it go to your head," she joked, "So, we can go to the mall after class?"

"Sounds good," I agreed.

_We said goodnight and I headed back to my room. I knew Erin couldn't wait until tomorrow. I couldn't either. It was nice to have someone to share Dracula Night with who wasn't a Supe. Besides Mom of course. She goes every year and puts up with Dad's fanaticism. Although ever since the first Dracula Night Mom attended, Dad's zeal for this night had lessened. Nevertheless, Dad is still the vampire version of Linus as he eagerly waits for his blood sucking Great Pumpkin. _

_I did a bit of school work and some pleasure reading before going to sleep. _

_Waking up the following morning, Erin and I got some breakfast and headed off to our respective classes. Erin is an early elementary education major, which fits her. She and kids get along great. My major is secondary education for European history. Dad made a great supplement to what I studied. Class was over before I realized it and I was on my way to meet up with Erin. I saw her crossing the Quad and I ran over to catch her. _

"Hey," I called.

_Erin turned around, _"Oh hi. I was just on my way to meet you."

"Well, are you ready to go?" I asked as we started to walk again.

"Yeah," she replied.

_We walked to my car and jumped in. I let it warm up for a few minutes before driving off to the mall. My car, although I love it, needs to be replaced. It's a well used, dark blue Chevy Impala. The money I put into getting it fixed could be going to loan payments. It was, after all, past its prime. My mom had it for nearly ten years before passing it along to me once I got my license. The whole time I had my permit, I desperately tried to convince Dad to give me his Corvette since he was getting a new one. A thousand year old vampire isn't easily persuaded. In the case of wanting the Corvette, I might as well have just bought my own. He did offer to buy me a nice, sensible car. However, Mom didn't go for that either. _

_Mom wasn't swayed when I asked to have Dad's Corvette. Money wasn't really the issue, Dad makes plenty. Enough so that we all could be driving a nice sports car. She, like a lot of parents wanted me to appreciate the value of a dollar. Dad had tried on many occasions to convince Mom to quit her job at Merlotte's. But, she enjoyed earning her own money and not having to be dependent. The bigger life lesson was that I should earn the things I wanted. _

_ It was about a ten minute drive to the mall. This particular mall, Sherwood, was geared towards high-end clientele, so it was always interesting when we walked in wearing our Wal-Mart jeans and Old Navy hoodies on. I never made a big deal about fashion. I bought what I liked and couldn't give a shit about trends. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed shopping and shoes were one of my few vices. I liked looking in all the ritzy stores, but where Erin and I were headed was far more economical. _

_During the walk, Erin and I talked about our classes and of course, Dracula Night. We meandered our way in to one of the department stores, and found the sale rack. _

"So, what's it like?" she asked curiously.

"Well, kind of like when we were kids and tried to stay up to see Santa or the Easter Bunny. There's a lot of anticipation. All of the vampires are hoping that Dracula picks their party to reveal himself. My Mom tells me Eric's pretty fanatical over the whole event, but he was much worse when she first knew him," I recollected.

"Why isn't he so crazy about it now?" Erin questioned.

_I thought for a moment, trying to remember the story,_ "Well, the first time my Mom attended Dracula Night was the year a Dracula imitator "revealed" himself as the real deal. Eric was so star-struck that he couldn't see that the Dracula was a fake. So now Eric's hopes aren't so high, but he still believes that the true Dracula will show up one day."

"Oh wow," Erin said, amazed, "I can't wait!"

"Really? I couldn't tell," I replied sarcastically.

"Well, can you blame me? Eric Northman is like a god," she gushed, "Michelangelo should've done a statue of him instead."

"Do I need to get you a cold drink or something?" I asked.

"Nah, I'm ok. I just can't believe I'll be seeing Eric with my own eyes," she continued.

"Just remember, he's taken," I said with a wry smile.

_She waved me off, _"Yeah, yeah."

_We shopped around for a bit, both finding a few dresses that sparked our interest. I was able to find the dress I'd seen online as well. Unfortunately, the moment I put it on I didn't like it. It was still pretty, pale pink and sequin-y. But so not me. _

"Do you like the one you saw online?" Erin called from a dressing room over.

"Not anymore," I replied.

"That's too bad, I really liked that one," she said sympathetically.

"Me too," I agreed.

_I shimmied out of the pink dress and pulled on another. It was royal purple and satin with an empire waist that was silver. The dress was a halter with sweetheart neckline and it ended at my knee. This was my dress. _

"I know what I'm wearing," I said happily.

"I think I have too," Erin called back.

"Oh, I want to see," I replied.

"Ok!"

_We both stepped out of the dressing room. Erin's dress was a teal, knee-length dress. It was scoop-necked with lots of tulle. She looked great in it. _

"I like this one a lot more," Erin commented.

"Me too," I said, "I love your dress too."

"Thanks," she smiled.

_We went back into our dressing rooms. I unzipped the dress and stepped out of it. Once dressed, I left the dressing room and sat on one of the ottomans. Erin came out a few minutes later. We were off to the shoe department and in a matter of minutes we founds some heels to accompany our dresses. _

_After paying for the outfits, we headed for the food court. Grabbing a bite, we sat down by one of the fake palm trees. _

"So, do I need to know anything else about Dracula Night?" Erin asked.

"Just try to contain yourself," I joked.

"Besides that," she replied, after she playfully hit me.

_I shrugged, _"Well, that's really it. This is one of the two holidays vampires celebrate, so it's big. I'm not letting you wander off with some strange vampire that's for sure. Plus, I don't think Jack would appreciate it too much either. But it'll be a fun way for you to see Fangtasia without all the tourists and fangbangers. We can get some more Fangtasia merchandise too."

"Sounds great," Erin beamed.

_We did more walking around after eating. Erin picked up some jewelry to accent her dress. We left the mall after a while and I drove back to campus. She was just buzzing with energy and eagerness. It was a good thing that Dracula Night was only two days away. We would be leaving tomorrow once Erin's afternoon class finished. As I drove, I made a mental note to tell Darren that I was leaving. _

_Back on campus, Erin and I took our dresses up to our dorm. While hanging my dress on the hook attached to the door, I received a text from Darren. He wanted to know if he could stop by for a bit. I replied he could. I went out into the living room. Erin was getting ready to head out to work. She had an on-campus job at the information desk. _

_I was watching TV when Darren came knocking at the door. I called him in. He entered promptly and joined me on the couch. Darren gave me a quick peck on the cheek before settling down. _

"So, tomorrow I'm leaving for the weekend," I said.

"Wait, for what?" Darren asked, in a demanding tone.

"Dracula Night," Erin added as she walked past us to the door, "I'll see y'all later."

_The door shut behind her. I looked to Darren. He was far from happy at the moment. I took a quick peek into his head. This time I didn't get words, I just got a swell of emotions. Anger being the prominent one, but there was no clue as to why. _

"What?" I asked.

"You're going to a Dracula Night party?" he demanded.

"Yeah, why?"

"Why the hell are you going?" he growled.

"I am friends with several vampires," I pointed out.

_Darren's eyes narrowed_, "So what? Do you make it a habit of going to vamp bars or just their holiday parties?"

"No. What's wrong? Why are you so pissed?," I asked.

"I don't get why you'd want to be friends with the bloodsuckers. I sort of get why you hang around Karsten, since he's somewhat human. Plus, he was your first and whatever," Darren ranted on, "But the vamps only want one thing from you."

"First off, I'm not pathetic and have some unresolved feelings for Karsten just because he was my first. We have history, but more importantly he is my oldest friend. Secondly, just because I'm friends with vampires doesn't mean I let them feed off of me. And thirdly, you sound like one of those insane Fellowship of the Sun members," I seethed.

_Darren abruptly stood up_, "Yeah, well maybe they have it right. And I can't believe you let some fucking vampire drink your blood!"

"You're not one of them are you?" I asked, accusingly.

"What if I am? At least I'm not some vamp loving whore," Darren rebutted.

"Get the hell out," I hissed.

"Fine! I'm not wasting my time with a fucking goddamn fangbanger anyway!" he shouted.

_Darren stormed out of the dorm. My blood was boiling, I couldn't believe I had thought about dating him exclusively. I threw my hands up in disgust as I stood. I left the dorm and headed down a floor to Karsten's dorm. I knocked on the door several times and Karsten called me in. I went in, unintentionally slamming the door behind me. _

_Karsten gave me a concerned look. He always knew when I was upset. Granted, it was very obvious right now that I was. But, Karsten still knew, even when it wasn't so clear. I sat down in a huff on the couch. He soon joined me. _

"Men are irrational assholes," I grumbled.

"Yes, we are," Karsten agreed, trying to get me to laugh.

_I looked over to him, _"I think Darren's a part of the Fellowship."

"Oh," was all he could say.

"Yeah."

"How'd you find that out?" Karsten asked.

"We just had a fight," I explained, "he flipped out when Erin told him we were going to the Dracula Night party."

"Explains why he's angry. I'm sure the Fellowship members have a special place in their twisted hearts reserved just for their hate of Dracula," Karsten half joked.

"I'm sure they do," I replied with a snicker.

_Karsten took me into his arms, _"Well, we can only hope he runs into a particularly nasty vampire one day."

"That would only give them fuel for their idiotic fire," I murmured.

_Karsten patted me on the shoulder and soon got me into a better mood, distracting me with a story about Carrie. She'd gone off on him again, but later apologized. Apparently she admitted to being the "jealous type". Yeah, no shit. _

_We hung out for a couple more hours until Karsten had to leave for class. We left his dorm and headed for the elevators. My elevator dinged and the doors opened. I called another "goodbye" to Karsten before getting on. Going up one level, I was soon in my dorm. I flipped on the lights and made a cup of hot tea before settling down to do some work. _

_I worked on an assignment until I couldn't keep my eyes open, so I went quickly in and out of the bathroom to get ready for bed. Snuggling under the warm covers, I drifted off to sleep. _

_Luckily for me, I didn't have any classes the following day. I packed a small suitcase for the weekend and was careful not to wrinkle my dress. I called Mom to let her know we'd be leaving once Erin got back. I also reminded her to put any pictures with Dad in them away. But, Mom was already a step ahead of me. Erin had already packed last night. She's a pretty strong broadcaster, so I heard her going through her mental check list several times, as well as what she was thinking about my Dad. I knew more than I ever wanted to know about what she thought of him. But that was my own fault for not blocking her thoughts out. _

_Erin was back sooner than I expected. Her professor's daughter had gone into labor early, so he dismissed them. I had been reading one of my mysteries when she came in. Erin didn't bother to say "hi", but merely ran to her room. She came back moments later, dress and suitcase in tow, a big grin on her face as well. _

"Let's go."

"Gee, you're not eager at all," I replied as I grabbed my stuff.

"Shut up."

_We both laughed as we left the dorm and headed for the elevator. When we reached my car, we put the suitcases in the trunk and hung the dresses on the shirt hooks in the back. In four short hours, we'd be in Bon Temps. _

--

Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Drop me a review if you like. Also, I have some fun news to share with you guys. I'm in the process of writing the first chapter to the prequel/backstory, of _Love Child. _Keep an eye out for it sometime this weekend. Tentatively titled, _Conceptional Thinking._


	8. Dracula Lives!

I want to say sorry for the delay as well as thanks for your patience. Big thanks to my beta, RubySun03. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs.

--

_Dracula Night was upon us, but the actual event wasn't for another hour or so. Erin and I were in the middle of getting ready. I'm pretty sure today was one of the longest days of Erin's life. Trying to kill time in Bon Temps is easier said than done. We spent most of our day at Merlotte's. Two chicken baskets and fries later, there wasn't much for us to do at the bar. We couldn't drink the time away, not that we would have. It's best to show up to Dracula Night sober._

_Erin,dressed in the teal dress we had purchased the other night, was currently seated at my vanity doing her make up. The dress complimented her very well, it stopped just above her knee and accented her green eyes. I stood in front of the floor length mirror curling my hair. I was on the last few locks. It looked pretty good once I was finished with it. I was going to leave it down and just pull a few locks back with a couple of bobby pins. I gave it a light sprinkling of hairspray to keep the curls in place, then Erin and I switched places. _

_ Erin's make up was done beautifully as well. She'd chosen a silvery eyeshadow and a shimmery pink lip gloss. I dabbed on some make up while Erin worked on her hair. She had decided to straighten it. I had gone for a smokey gray eyeshadow and reddish lips. My satiny, royal purple dress looked great. It ended just above my knee, if not a bit higher. Seeing as I'm taller than the average girl, the dress would stop a tad short. It wasn't a big deal. It's not like the dress ended mid-thigh or anything. Mom wouldn't have let me out of the house like that. _

_ Once we were done, we both stood in front of the wall mirror. We examined ourselves and were quite pleased. I grabbed my clutch from the nightstand and we headed for the door. Pulling on our coats and grabbing my keys, we were ready to go. Erin was just beaming with excitement. _

_We jumped into my car and within a few minutes we were headed for Shreveport. I could drive to Fangtasia with my eyes closed, so the drive didn't seem that long to me. Erin on the other hand, was sure we had gone down the wrong road when we didn't get there in five minutes. But once she saw the neon sign glowing in the distance, all of her worries dissipated. I parked in the guesting parking lot. Any other time I would have parked next to Dad or Pam's car and entered using the employee entrance. But I couldn't tonight. _

_Erin was out of the car before my seatbelt was unbuckled. I could feel the excitement radiating from her brain. Once I was out of the car, Erin grabbed my hand and she practically dragged me up to the entrance where Pam was standing. She was checking for and collecting the invitations. A couple of times, Dad had problems with fangbangers trying to crash the party. But they were, uh, easily taken care of. Pam was dressed in a pretty, pale-blue dress. It had decorative white lace and small bows on it as well. It was very Alice in Wonderland-esque. I handed Pam the invitation, knowing it was merely a formality. Then she looked to Erin. _

"She's the one I told you about," I said, vaguely for Erin's sake.

"Of course," Pam replied, "You didn't tell me your friend was so pretty."

_Pam gave Erin a flirty and fang-y smile. I couldn't help but chuckle. Erin was flattered, but at the same time taken off guard. Pam stepped in front of me to unhook the velvet rope. She was face to face with Erin for a long minute. Pam looked into Erin's eyes the whole time, not glamouring so much as intently staring at her. All of which caused Erin to fidget, that only made Pam grin more. _

"Have a good time," Pam said charmingly.

"We'll see you inside, Pam," I replied as we headed in.

_Once we were inside, Erin turned to me, _"What just happened?"

"I think Pam likes you," I smirked.

"I don't know how I feel about that," Erin mumbled.

"Take it as a compliment. Pam doesn't pass them out very often," I told her.

_Erin grinned, _"Well then I'm honored."

_We laughed as we entered the main room. Fangtasia's normal red and grey scheme was exploding with decorations. Each table had a centerpiece, which was a silver, mosaic vase full of dark red and snow white roses with a stake sprouting out from the middle. I love Dad's sense of humor. Around the neck of the vase was a strip of black lace tied in a bow with little teardrop shaped gems hanging from the scalloped edges. Scattered on the table was confetti, which was shaped into little silver and grey fangs and coffins. _

_Black, red, and white streamers hung from the walls in a crisscross pattern around the room. Each streamer was a different design and cut. A small stage was set up against the center wall. It appeared to be ready for a band and DJ. I hadn't heard from Mom about who was supposed to be playing, but I did know the Duke of Death was DJ-ing. Well, we'd find out who the band was eventually. In front of the stage was a large throne dad had bought about seven years ago just for Dracula Night. It was made of a heavy wood that was stained dark. There was a lot of gold and red accents on it as well as a fluffy cushion. According to Dad, it was an exact replica of the one the Dark Prince sat on during his human days. Right, of course it was. Nevertheless, there was a freshly cleaned red carpet leading up to the throne and velvet rope surrounding it. _

_The whole place was humming with activity. There were many small groups of people clustered together, chatting with one another. I spied Mom towards the back of the club talking with Alcide and Karsten. I took Erin's hand and we maneuvered our way towards the group. _

_When we got there, Mom hugged and kissed me. She also hugged Erin, who looked like a kid on her first trip to Disney World. I traded hugs with Karsten and a handshake with Alcide. The five of us chit-chatted for a few minutes before I excused Erin and myself to get a drink. We walked over to the long buffet table which had been set up near the bar. There was finger food and ice chests (which were in the shape of coffins of course) filled with bottles of different drinks. But the main centerpiece was the three tiered crystal blood-fountain containing TruBlood of course. Dad finally stopped buying Royalty several years ago, much to Pam's delight. _

_Erin looked to me and then to the fountain, _"Is that what I think it is?"

_And she was thinking blood._

"Yeah," I confirmed, "Are you thirsty?"

"A little, yeah, but not for that!" Erin nodded.

_We each grabbed a bottle and glass and perched ourselves at one of the tall cocktail tables. Erin had gotten some sort of sparkling juice. I had picked out a fruity energy drink because I had a feeling it was going to be a long night. I took a sip of my fizzy drink and placed it down onto the napkin that was on the table. Dad even had new napkins made up for tonight. They had the usual Fangtasia logo, but on the opposite corner "Dracula Night" was written on a curve in bold, black script. _

_Erin and I sat there for a bit and talked. While we sat at the table, the Duke of Death came out and started spinning some tunes. As Erin and I chatted, I spotted Mom running back and forth from the back room, probably to Dad's office. She was also carrying a gin and tonic every time I saw her. I couldn't help but laugh. It was the only time Mom ever truly drank more than one drink. I think it made dealing with Dad on this stressful night a lot easier. I have to say though, Mom is probably one of the more lucid drinkers I'd ever met. Not that she was ever really drunk, at best she'd get tipsy. _

_Karsten joined us at the table. He was dressed in a crisp blue dress shirt with a darker blue, silk tie and pinstriped pants. We got another round of drinks, but this time I went for something different. All three of us talked and enjoyed the music. Whatever song was playing came to an end and the Duke of Death bid his farewell for a while. Some of the mystery band's members started to filter in from the back. I didn't look to see who they were since I was busy talking to Karsten. But it seemed Erin had gotten a peek. As I continued to talk to Karsten, I felt Erin's hand wrap around my forearm and grip it tight. _

"Kim," she said, just barely audible.

_I turned and looked at her, _"What?"

"The drummer, it's Mark," Erin whispered.

"Mark?" Karsten asked.

"From the band, BloodLust," I replied, rather nonchalant.

_The gravity of my answer didn't hit me until a moment later. I nearly choked on my drink when it clicked. I looked at Erin, _"That means..."

"He's here," Erin finished for me.

"Who? Your boy Dane?" Karsten smirked.

"That'd be the one," Erin agreed.

"He's not my anything," I insisted as I took a long sip of my drink.

"Oh yeah, he's just the guy you make out with every time you see him," Erin laughed.

_Karsten joined her in laughing, _"She didn't tell me about the kissing."

"Yep, the first time was a little peck. But, the second was pretty intense," Erin recounted for him.

"It's like I'm not even here," I sighed with a fake melodramatic tone.

"Erin, do you hear a voice? I do, but I don't see anyone," Karsten joked.

"I do too," Erin continued.

_I hit Karsten, _"Shut up."

"Ow, hey that's not nice," Karsten said with a fake pout.

"Like that even hurt."

"Oh it did," Karsten assured me.

_Erin laughed. _

_All of our joking caused me to not realize that the entire band had come out. The loud chatter fell to a low murmur once Dane and the guys started to play. He and the rest of the band were decked out in tuxedos. Just looking at Dane made me need a cold shower. I glanced at Erin. She was in her glory with a big grin on her face. I went back to watching Dane and the band. His eyes would wander around the room, but they always lingered when they got to me. I couldn't help but smile. I looked over to Erin again, she was practically jumping up and down in her seat. They played a set of their most popular songs. The set was short and once it was done the bar erupted in loud applause. Dane then reintroduced the Duke of Death to the stage. The band exited the stage and joined everyone in the bar. The other members mingled with other vamps, but Dane came right over to our table. _

"It's good to see you again Kim," Dane greeted.

"It's great to see you too. Although, I'm a little surprised to see you here," I replied.

"Yes, Eric kept our performance very low key," Dane said.

_I looked over at my companions, _"Dane, these are my best friends, Erin and Karsten."

"Pleasure," Dane said with a nod.

"Your performance was great," Karsten told him.

"So great," Erin affirmed.

_Dane chuckled, _"Thanks."

"Erin, why don't we head over to the souvenir stand," Karsten suggested.

"Yeah, sure," she agreed, her eyes not leaving Dane.

_After a bit of coercing, Karsten got Erin to leave the table. The two headed over to the stand. Dane watched them leave, but his eyes traveled back to me, _"We have a little less than an hour until midnight, why don't we go outside for a bit."

"I would, but I gotta make sure Erin doesn't go full out fangirl on me," I chuckled.

"I think the Were can handle her," he assured me with a dazzling grin.

_I nodded and stood up. Grabbing my coat, I took Dane's extended arm and we left through the entrance. Pam had since left her post to deal with Dad and his antics. We were quite a ways away from the building when Dane turned to me. _

"We have one more show after tonight, but then we're done until the summer," he said.

_I nodded and allowed him to continue. Although, I had an idea as to where this was going. _

"And so, I'd like to take you on a date one night. Next week, maybe," Dane finished.

"I'd like that a lot," I smiled.

"I would like to see you sooner than next week though," he added, "What are you doing later tonight?"

"I have to take Erin back to my house since I was the one who brought her here," I explained, "I guess we'll just have to wait until next week."

"It seems that way," Dane nodded, "But, I don't have to wait to do this."

_Dane leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my lips. I deepened it a little more as I snaked my arms around his neck. Even his tender kisses were toe curling. Sure the hot and heavy ones were nice, but this was just as good. His lips left mine and left a trail of kisses down my jaw. Dane made his way as far as he could down the exposed portion of my neck. His one hand was firmly placed against the one side of my neck. The other was wrapped around my hip. I could feel him gently grazing my skin with his fangs. I felt the two points pricking my neck. His tongue ran across my jugular several times, feeling it pulsate underneath. I knew he desperately wanted to bite me, but he restrained himself. _

_He kissed his way back up to my lips, which were eagerly awaiting his return. This time his kiss was more intense. I reciprocated just as vigorously. But soon I had to pull away and catch my breath. _

"It's a good thing you didn't bite me," I said after a big gulp of air.

"Why's that?" Dane asked, looking puzzled.

"Neither Dracula Night nor Dracula himself could distract Dad enough from knowing that I had been bitten. He somehow knows when a vampire has had my blood. My parents seems to think since half of my genes come from him we share a bond. It's similar to a blood bond in that Dad is in tune with what's going on with me. Having him possess that knowledge is very annoying too," I explained.

"But I've had less than an ounce of your blood," Dane retorted.

"Just one drop and he knows," I continued, "And Dad's just a tad overprotective of me. So, when he finds out it's not pretty. Although, when he found out about that night at the concert he was surprisingly calm."

"That's good," Dane said, "But if Eric weren't an issue would you have objected to being bitten?"

"Uh, no," I replied with hesitation.

_Dane gave me a look, indicating he wanted me to explain further, __"_For all my talk, I've only dated one other vampire and he was relatively young. His name was Mark."

"How young?"

"Fifty," I paused, "And when the moment came it wasn't the best experience."

"He took too much?" Dane presumed.

"That and he wasn't as gentle as he could have been," I finished.

_I recounted that night for Dane which I remembered a little too well. Mark was a charming, fair-haired green eyed vampire. He couldn't have been more than twenty-five when he was turned. We had met at Fangtasia. And much to my parents' chagrin we started to see one another. Although, I wouldn't call it dating. Our relationship was based more on physical attraction. And one night, at the peak of excitement he bit me. At first, it wasn't too bad. I expected him to take a little sip. But Mark didn't stop drinking and his fangs tore at my flesh the longer he drank. I had never felt so weak before. I had enough of my mind still to push Mark off me though. However, I must've lost consciousness soon after, because I was in my room in bed, the next time I opened my eyes. _

_Dane gave me a sympathetic look. I waved him off, _"It's fine. Dad took care of him. Mark has been banished from the kingdom of Louisiana."

"I'm a little surprised Eric didn't stake him," Dane replied.

"I am too. Or maybe he did and just never told me," I agreed, "We should head inside, it's almost midnight."

"Indeed it is," Dane confirmed, looking at his watch.

_Dane kissed me quickly once again. _

_I smiled, _"You're such a tease."

"I believe it's you who stops us," Dane grinned, showing me his pearly fangs.

_I turned around with Dane right by my side. He wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked back inside. We rejoined Karsten and Erin at the table. They had since gotten back from the souvenir stand. Karsten bought a frosted shot glass with the Fangtasia logo printed on it in red. Erin bought several things. She showed me a t-shirt as well as a few prints of Dad, one being his Mr. January pose. Erin was just reeling about that one. Karsten let out a little snicker that went unnoticed by Erin. Dane, who was still holding me, couldn't help but grin either. Of course she would buy pictures of Dad nearly naked. I just hoped she was going to keep them in her room. We already had the calendar hanging in the kitchen. It always started the most interesting conversations. _

"What do you think of all this?" Erin asked, looking at Dane.

"I think Dracula Night is more for tradition than anything else," Dane replied, "But there are those of us, like Eric, who can't accept that our Prince is most likely not going to show his face...some believe that our Prince no longer walks the earth."

_Karsten, Erin, and I all nodded. We knew the feeling. It was like the first Christmas that you stopped believing in Santa. You still wanted to, but the skepticism still remained. _

_The Duke of Death stopped playing music and Dad made his grand entrance. Mom also reappeared from the back, and rejoined Alcide. Dad made his way to the gong that was now sitting on the stage. Those of us not already standing, stood up. Dad struck the gong twelve times. The sound reverberated across the room. When the last strike was complete, he looked up at the crowd. _

_He reached down, took a glass from Pam and raised it, _"Tonight, the most glorious night of all, we celebrate the first rising of our Dark Prince. We stand here in hopes of being graced with his presence. Dark Prince, please honor us and reveal yourself."

_We stood in silence, waiting. All of the vamps were on edge with hope. But after a long moment everyone knew Dracula wasn't going to appear. For a split second Dad looked disappointed. But then, just as quick, he grinned, _"Perhaps next year we shall be honored with his presence."

_And just like that, it was over. Dad seemed to return to normal. He stepped down from the stage and the Duke of Death went back to DJ-ing. Of course, Dad immediately noticed how close Dane and I were. He gave Mom a quick peck on the cheek before making a beeline towards our table. _

"You weren't kidding when you said your father is very overprotective. I haven't even had any of your blood today, and here he comes," Dane said, glancing at Dad.

_Erin's head jerked towards us, her brow furrowed, _"Did he just say father?"

"I did," Dane said before I could even react.

_Ah, shit. _

"Kim, what does he mean by father? I thought your dad was dead," Erin questioned.

_I looked at Karsten, who's face shared my same deer-caught-in-the-headlights feeling. I shared a quick glance with Dane as well, 'She didn't know.'_

_Dane nodded regretfully. _

"Technically, he is," I said finally just as Dad reached our little group.

"Kimberly," Dad said rather sternly.

"Not now," I replied, giving him a look.

I didn't bother to wait for Dad's reply. _I got up and grabbed Erin's arm. I practically had to drag her with me to Dad's office. I shut the door behind me and waited for Erin to start yelling. _

"Eric Northman...is your father?!" Erin fumed.

_I nodded, _"He is."

"How?!" Erin demanded.

"Eric...my Dad, appealed to some witch allies of his and they were able to make him human for a day," I explained, "He did it as a surprise for my Mom. But, they both got a bigger surprise a couple of months later when my Mom found out she was pregnant."

"Why didn't you tell me? I can understand why Karsten knows...sort of. But, Dane? You've known the guy for like a month and he knows that Eric's your dad," Erin snapped, her anger evident.

"I didn't tell him. He figured it out on his own," I returned.

"But still, Kim you kept something so big from me," Erin said, I could hear the hurt in her voice, "Did you think you couldn't trust me? Did you think I'd treat you differently because Eric's your dad?"

"Honestly, yes. Not many Supes know how he and I are connected and no humans outside my family know. I'm sorry you had to find out this way," I said apologetically.

"If it hadn't happened today, would you have ever told me?" Erin asked incredulously.

"I don't know," I replied, honestly, "But you know I'm very sorry that I never told you. Really, I am."

"What else have you kept from me?" Erin demanded.

"I'm telepathic," I replied.

_Erin blinked, _"Seriously? Like minding reading and all of that?"

"Yeah, I can control what I hear. So don't worry," I assured her.

"Anything else?"

_I thought a moment, _"No and I promise I won't keep anything else from you."

"Better not," Erin replied.

_I felt the rage had diffused to pain. I moved to hug her, which she accepted. _

"I'm sorry."

"I know, I'm just hurt you felt you couldn't trust me. But, then again, it probably didn't help that I wanted to jump your dad. That's probably awkward enough without your best friend wanting to do that too," Erin chuckled, "I'll take down the calendar when we get home."

"Nah, it's ok. I'll get him to sign it for you," I replied as we released each other.

"Are you bribing me?" Erin smiled.

"Only a little," I grinned, "Would you like to meet him?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Erin laughed.

"I figured," I replied, as we left the office, "Well, he's going to ask you what you thought of Dracula Night."

"I'm not surprised that he would," Erin shrugged.

"No, but he'll ask you about the decorations and stuff like that," I clarified, "He's not the crazy fanatic he was a half hour ago, but he's still not completely normal yet."

_Erin laughed, _"I get it."

_We made it back to the bar. Dad and Dane were talking while Mom was saying goodnight to Karsten and Alcide. Erin and I walked over to Dad and Dane. I gave Dane a smile which he returned. He pecked me on the cheek and told me he'd call me later. After a deep inclination to Dad, Dane made his leave. _

"Kimberly," Dad said, purposely distant.

"It's ok, Dad. Erin knows," I said.

_Dad looked slightly concerned. I did, after all, let out the big family secret. _

"Everything will be fine. You can trust, Erin," I assured him.

"I'm sure I can," he replied, looking at Erin. He gave her a short smile.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Erin said.

_Dad nodded, _"Likewise. It's good to know Kim's close to someone other than just the Were."

"I can tell you so many new stories now," I said looking at Erin.

_Mom came over to our little group and without having to ask, she figured out that Erin knew our little secret. She grinned, _"We're all ok now?"

"Yeah, we are," I replied.

--

I hope you enjoyed my rendition of Dracula Night. Drop me a review if you're so inclined. :D


	9. Old Rivals

Here's chapter 9. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers, as well as, my awesome beta RubySun03! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs.

* * *

_It had been a busy week at school after Dracula Night. I had multiple assignments given to me, but they were manageable. And with some careful planning, I would be able to get them all done within a few weeks. I was just so thankfully today was Friday. I had the bad luck of running into Darren earlier in the day. He acted as if nothing had happened and that we still had potential. I had an unnerving feeling about him, but I decided I would ignore it for now. On the other hand, Erin and I were closer than ever. It was great, I could tell her just about everything that was going on with Dad. She seemed to enjoy my stories about my dealings with the supe world too. I loved being able to talk freely about my family with her and not have to edit anything._

_Currently, I was busy with getting ready for tonight. Dane and I were finally having our date. Needless to say, I was beyond excited. We were going to dinner and a concert. I wasn't sure what band or singer we were seeing, but I trusted Dane's taste in music._

_Erin had left earlier to go to work, but she made me promise I would tell her everything once I got home. I assured her three different times that I would. I was in the process of getting dressed when I heard a knock on the door. It wasn't Dane since the sun with still partially up, so I assumed it was Karsten or Vicky. Sometimes it's bad to assume too much. It was Darren._

"Uh, hi?" I said after an awkward moment.

"Hey," he replied with a smile.

"Can I help you?" I asked, "I'm sort of in the middle of something."

"Going out?" Darren asked, suspicion in his voice.

_I gave him a look,_ "Yes, I am. So, if you don't need anything, I'm going to go back inside."

"Why have you been avoiding me all week?" he asked abruptly.

"Well let's see, last week you called me a vampire fucking whore so...," I said, glaring at him.

"I know and I'm sorry for that. My dad's been a Fellowship member since before I was born. And, I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I'm trying to change though. I'm trying to be more...accepting," he explained, his dark brown eyes staring into me.

_He sounded sincere enough, but Darren's head told me otherwise. He had an internal struggle as he denounced his Fellowship status. He kept chanting in his head that it was all for the plan. That disconcerting feeling returned. My stomach sank. What plan and how was I a part of it? A part of me wanted to accept his bullshit apology just to find out more information. But at the same time, I could be digging myself into a deeper hole. I could also be endangering any vampire, or supe for that matter, that I am friends with. I suppressed my urge to do some mental detective work. For right now, it was better to be safe than sorry._

"Darren," I paused, "I can't be with you like you want to be."

"What? Why not?" he asked, a bit exasperated.

_I sighed,_ "I fully embrace the supernaturalness in our world. And although you're trying to as well, I need someone who is already as accepting as I am."

"Someone like a supe?" Darren asked bitingly.

"Sure," I spat back as I closed the door in his face. I locked it just in case.

_I went back to getting ready. I pulled out what I was going to wear from my closet and dresser. As I put my tank-top on, I did a quick scan to see if Darren had left. Thankfully, he was gone. I poked my head through my purple, long sleeve shirt and pulled it on. I got my printed leggings on and zipped up the denim skirt. I left my room and headed for the bathroom. After doing my make up, I ran some mousse through my wavy hair. And by the time I was done straightening my bangs, the sun had set. As I left the bathroom I heard another knock at the door._

_I quickly stepped into my boots and answered the door. It was Dane and he greeted me by planting one hell of kiss on me. He broke the kiss a minute or so later and smiled. I grinned back at him._

"Hey," I said, breathless.

"Good evening," Dane replied.

"How are you?" I asked, as I grabbed my jacket from the couch.

"Good, thank you," Dane said contently, "Yourself?"

"Not bad," I replied.

_Dane brow furrowed slightly_, "There was a human man here earlier."

"Oh, yeah. Darren," I said with a huff.

"He has angered you," Dane presumed.

_I nodded,_ "A lot, lately."

"Can I do anything to stop him?" Dane asked.

"Not in the way you want," I replied, smirking.

"That's too bad," he said with a fake sigh.

_Dane picked my coat off the hook and held it for me,_ "Well, I really don't need you to be the next target for the Fellowship of the Sun."

"He's a member?" Dane asked, not seeming surprised.

"Darren never told me, but his head did," I replied, "Can we stop talking about him for a while?"

"Of course," Dane nodded.

_After getting my coat on, Dane took my hand into his. I grabbed my purse and then we were out the door. Once off the elevator, Dane led me towards one of the parking lots near my dormitory. We stopped in front of a black Italian sports car. I don't know my Ferraris from my Lamborghinis, but what I did know was that his car was beautiful. He opened the passenger side door for me and helped me in. Even before my seatbelt was buckled, Dane was in the car. His sudden appearance startled me slightly, which was odd for me. I'm usually very comfortable around the speed of vampires. I suppose it was because we were in such close proximity to one another._

_Dane and I made it to the restaurant in record speed. The dinner was good, a little awkward since I was the only one eating. Well, Dane did sip on a TruBlood. As I ate, Dane and I talked. I found that talking to him was real easy. There wasn't any of that first date uncertainty. I felt as though we could talk about anything and everything from philosophy to politics. It was nice to not have to be continuously blocking out his thoughts. I soon finished my meal, and we were off again, heading towards the concert._

_When we arrived at the club, we entered in a way I'd never experienced before. We had to be escorted through the back entrance and into a private section of the venue. We were given a table and just about anything we could possibly want to drink. Dane was offered four different varieties of synthetic blood. As the rest of the public was ushered into the club, it finally hit me. If our relationship went any further, I'd be dating a famous musician. Granted, Dad is famous in his own right, but not in the same way as Dane is. This realization struck me in a funny way. On top of being a famous rock star, Dane's also a vampire. All of this knowledge seemed to make everything that much more difficult. But for now, I wouldn't let it ruin my date with Dane._

_His cold hand touching mine pulled me from my inner thoughts. He gave me a look, _"Are you alright?"

"Oh, yeah," I said, waving him off.

"I can tell you're not," Dane observed.

"It's nothing, honestly. I was just getting myself all worked up. Don't worry about it," I assured him.

"Alright," Dane nodded.

"So, who are we seeing?" I asked as I looked over to the stage.

"Lilith," Dane replied.

_Lilith was another vampire band. I didn't listen to them frequently, but I did like them. The showmanship of the members was over the top. They presented themselves styling a glam-goth look. But, they didn't do it because that was their actual style; they did it because they knew their fans would just eat that shit up. I've been told their lead guitarist, and every fangbanger's wet dream, Zachary, was the biggest asshole ever. But, I had no proof either way. What I didn't understand was why everyone seemed to swoon over him. He was under six feet and very lean. I guess it was his long, wispy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes that got everyone. He looked so innocent and cute, but beneath his benevolent exterior lurked a darkness and danger. It was that hidden quality that I believed everyone craved to taste. Or maybe he just glamoured the interviewers out of their minds to write amazing articles about him. I wouldn't be surprised of the latter._

_The band members came onto stage and without a word began playing. The crowd's murmur became an uproar as the lead singer, Collin, began belting out the lyrics. Now the band as a whole looked ridiculous, but as I stared at Zachary and Collin they looked just down right absurd. I mean, I have nothing against the goth look, but they just couldn't pull it off. They looked like they belonged in khakis and cardigans, not skin-tight pants and neon colored shirts. Even if they just took off the heavy layers of make up, both would look ten times better._

_The show was fabulous. I'd forgotten how much I liked Lilith's music. With the noise of the show, it was difficult to physically talk to Dane, so our telepathy came in handy. When the show came to a spectacular end, Dane and I got up to leave. A woman approached us, I could tell from her mind that she was one of the assistants to the band members. She looked kind of frazzled, but still well put together._

_Smiling at both of us, she spoke_, "Zachary wishes to have your presence."

"Only if my date allows for it," Dane replied, looking at me.

"Sure," I said with a smile.

"Follow me, please."

_Dane and I followed the assistant backstage. She lead us to the lounge area and told us the band members would be out shortly. Within five minutes Zachary and Collin appeared. They were soon followed by their bassist, Gavin, and their drummer, Alexander. All of them had shed their outfits from earlier. Most of them were just in jeans and t-shirts._

_All of the vamps inclined their heads to one another and acknowledged me with a short nod. Then we all sat down on couches that surrounded a coffee table. On top of the table were all sorts of drinks. However, most of the members seemed to prefer their blood from the source. Three fangbangers, two girls and one guy, came into room. I noticed there was no donor for Zachary and he hadn't reached for a blood on the table, which seemed weird. The fangbangers sat next to their respective vamp. Collin began feeding from his donor. She let out a few moans which was a little awkward for me._

_Zachary sat forward a bit,_ "It's good to see you again Dane."

"Likewise," Dane said curtly.

"I know we left off on a bad note, but there's no need to be uncivil," Zachary scolded, his British accent, more prominent now.

"Excuse me then," Dane replied tartly.

_From this little exchange, I gathered that Zachary was older than Dane, but not by much. Maybe a hundred years or less. The number was insignificant enough to Dane that he didn't keep himself fully in line._

"I do, I do," Zachary said dismissively, "But, do tell me who this darling is sitting next to you."

"Zachary, this is Kim," Dane said stiffly.

"It's, uh, nice to meet you," I said with a slight grin.

_Zachary smirked at me,_ "The pleasure's mine."

_Dane's phone rang, causing me to jump slightly. Zachary chuckled at my sudden movement. There was something about Zachary that freaked me out. I just felt this darkness from him. I watched Dane listen intently on the phone. I could feel Zachary's emerald eyes on me. Dane stood up._

"I need to take this call," he announced, "Will you be ok for a bit Kim?"

"She'll be just fine. She's in good hands," Zachary assured him.

I_ felt a shiver go down my spine._

_Dane stared at me intently, 'Will you be alright?'_

_'Yes, I can handle myself,' I promised him._

_'I believe you can, I just don't know that you can handle Zachary.'_

_'Just be quick, ok?'_

_'I'll do my best.'_

_Dane left the lounge. And once the door was closed, Zachary used his vampire speed to appear right by my side. I jumped once more and once again, Zachary laughed. He gave me a devilish smile, revealing his sharp fangs._

"There's something very different about you," he said.

"What makes you think that?" I said.

"I can smell it," Zachary replied, "There's a hint of fae in you. But, that's not all."

_I gulped_, "There's nothing else about me."

"Oh, you're a liar," he cooed.

"So you think," I snapped.

_Zachary edged his way closer to me, if that were even possible_, "Aren't you sweet."

"Wouldn't you like to know," I retorted.

"I would, actually," he whispered.

_Zachary nuzzled my neck, his slight stubble scratching my skin. I pulled away and tried to stand up, but Zachary kept me firmly planted in my seat._

"I don't like squirming," he hissed.

"That's too bad because there's no fucking way I'm going to allow you to bite me," I spat.

"And who's going to stop me?" Zachary demanded, "You can't, and the fangbangers won't, so who's left, Dane? He has not announced his claim to you. You're fair game, darling."

"Fuck you," I growled.

"Maybe you will," he replied with a sinister chuckle.

"I'd rather be drained," I said sharply.

_Zachary gave me a dark smile_, "That can be arranged too."

_He pulled me into his lap and pushed my hair to the side. Zachary kept one arm firmly around my waist. His fingers stroking my thigh. He nuzzled my neck again, and I shivered with disgust. I prayed that Dane was coming. I called to him telepathically, but received no response. I let out a little cry when I felt Zachary's fangs against my skin. Hot, prickling tears began to well up in my eyes._

"Dane?" I whimpered.

"He can't help you sweetheart," Zachary murmured.

_I shut my eyes and waited for the inevitable. But it never came. I opened my eyes to see Dane holding Zachary by the neck. Dane's fangs were out and he had the most menacing look upon his face. I scrambled out of Zachary's lap and stood up quickly. Dane let go of Zachary, but he was soon on his feet._

"You dare impede on your elder's feeding?" Zachary growled.

"You are older than me by less than a half of century," Dane snapped.

"Regardless, you have no claim to her," Zachary barked.

_Dane glared at him_, "I do. Kimberly is mine and mine alone. I do not share."

"I've noticed," Zachary scoffed, "But, seeing as you've just claimed her now, I don't see why you needed to interrupt me. She was not yours when I was about to feed on her."

"It was without my consent!" I added.

"I would've glamoured you before you could've picked up the phone to call the police," Zachary shrugged.

"You're despicable," I hissed.

"Sticks and stones."

_I shuddered. Dane pulled me into his embrace. Zachary continued to grin._

"Well Dane, if you're going to claim her then claim her," Zachary said as he sat down.

"I'm not following," Dane replied cautiously.

"It's clear to me that you haven't actually fed from this human. And if you don't do so now, I will," he explained, "I maybe a mere fifty years older than you, but it's enough."

"You come near me again and I'll have Eric Northman on your ass within the hour," I threatened.

_Zachary sneered at me,_ "Your hollow threats are amusing."

"They're not hollow in the least," I snapped, "I'm very close with the Sheriff of Area 5. And he's easily three hundred years your senior."

"The big bad Viking doesn't scare me," he scoffed, "He's not my Sheriff and he's not the Sheriff of this Area."

"He should scare you," Dane said intimidatingly, "because Eric is fiercely protective of Kimberly."

"Well, I doubt that. I know he has a human mate, but if Kimberly were that woman she wouldn't be here with you," Zachary reasoned, "I believe her name is Sookie."

"I'm Sookie's daughter," I said, trying to keep my voice level.

_Dane's head snapped to look at me. His eyes were wide with worry and perhaps fear. He shook his head in a chiding manner. I gave him a slight shrug._

"Is that so?" Zachary paused, "How do I know you're not lying."

"You don't. But, why would I reveal such a secret if it weren't true?" I asked.

_Zachary was on his feet again and only mere inches separated us._

"I don't know, tell me," he replied coolly.

"I tell you this because if Eric finds out you laid a hand on me, you're done," I snapped.

"And Eric cares this deeply for his human that he extends his protection on to you?" Zachary asked, unconvinced.

"Yes," I replied hesitantly.

_Zachary rolled his eyes,_ "Whether I bite you or not, you're still going to call Eric. But, that doesn't matter. You have no proof I attempted to feed from you."

"Your scent will be all over me," I reminded him.

"That only means you have been in close proximity with me, nothing more," Zachary said haughtily, "But should Eric visit me, that means I'm calling Freya."

"Who?" I asked.

"Dane knows, he knows very well," Zachary said darkly, "And she's been looking all over for you Dane. It seems as though you have a habit of leaving on a bad note with your fellow vampires."

_I looked at Dane, who was whiter than ever. Dane let a growl escape his lips as his eyes narrowed into a glare at Zachary, _"If you think you must, then go ahead. I don't care."

"Well, you must care or you wouldn't be so livid about it," Zachary observed.

"I only care that your fangs never meet Kimberly's skin," Dane snapped, "That is worth the risk of seeing Freya."

"Well, then this is goodbye," Zachary said as he retreated back to his chair, "Goodbye for now."

_Dane hastily escorted me out of the lounge. He wouldn't let go of me until we reached his car. Dane's grip was a little rough, he seemed upset. I tried to read his thoughts, but right now he was just a void. I had to run to keep up with him. He was dead set on getting out of there. I was too. I wanted to be as far away from Zachary as possible right now._

"Get in the car," he said, his voice heated.

_I climbed into the car. Dane slammed the door and appeared next to me within a second. He started the engine and we flew out of the parking lot. Dane sped down the road at white-knuckle speed. My hands tightly gripped the seat as the engine roared, and soon we were approaching the empty highway. As we crested a hill, I thought we probably hit the 150 zone. If he was trying to demonstrate his anger through his speed, Dane was doing it very well_.

"Dane, slow down!" I shouted, panic-stricken.

_He did, but in the most extreme manner. We came to a screeching halt on the side of the road. I jerked forward, but Dane didn't seemed fazed. I let out a relieved sigh._

"Thank you," I said sarcastically.

_Dane remained silent, his hand still loosely gripping the steering wheel._

"What did I do?" I demanded.

"Why did you tell him?" Dane asked.

"That Sookie is my mom?" I replied.

"Yes," Dane said sharply.

"What else was I suppose to do? Threatening Zachary with Eric wasn't working and I didn't want anyone biting me!" I remarked.

"But you know Eric's going to pay a visit to Zachary regardless," Dane paused, "And then Freya will be knocking at my door."

"So this isn't even about me, it's about Freya and your fear of her," I snapped.

"Yes, it is," Dane said coldly, "You're a weakness to Eric and myself. Revealing that you're Sookie's daughter is just as dangerous as saying you're Eric's."

"Well I'm sorry I'm such a shortcoming for both of you," I huffed, crossing my arms across my chest.

"I didn't mean it like that," Dane said, trying to assure me, "We both care for you so much that we'll act irrationally to ensure your protection. If it were just me, I wouldn't worry. I could just outrun Freya. But, it's not just me. Zachary will surely tell Freya about you and she'll come after you. That is something I wouldn't wish on anyone."

"Who is she?" I asked, a little calmer.

"My maker," he replied solemnly.

"Is she really this frightening?"

"Freya is stuck in the times before the Great Revelation. She will not mainstream, which is fine if she'd drink from a donor. But, she still considers herself a hunter and she preys on the unwilling," Dane explained.

"And why is she looking for you?" I asked, listening intently.

"The last time we met, she forced me into feeding on an innocent girl. I cannot forgive her for that. Synthetic blood had been available, there was no need to do such a thing. And so, I attacked her, which as we both know is a high offense," Dane recounted.

"Why didn't she take you to your Sheriff or even the king or queen?" I asked, puzzled.

"At the time, I was traveling with the band so much that we didn't settle down to one Area," Dane continued, "Plus, the only justice that Freya believes in is her own."

_I shuddered._

"And when Zachary tells Freya about my whereabouts and my association with you, she will stop at nothing to find me. That includes you. She's fierce and cruel to anyone who stands in her way," Dane told me all too earnestly.

"Well, we're alive for now," I sighed.

"I should take you home," Dane said after a moment.

"I guess so," I said, "I just hope Erin is asleep when I get there."

"Why's that?" Dane asked as he turned the ignition.

"She's going to want to talk about tonight and I'm not really up to talking," I explained.

"You can stay with me," he offered as he pulled back onto the highway.

"Oh, are you sure?" I asked.

_He nodded,_ "Yes, of course."

"Ok," I replied, giving him a small smile.

_Dane returned it with one of his own. His smile made me feel all warm inside. And as we drove down the highway, for a short time I forgot about Zachary, Freya, and my doubts about our potential relationship. For now, I'd live in the moment._

_

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_

Thanks for stopping by. Reviews are nice. :) Also, follow me on twitter if you'd like: sarakmas


	10. Now What?

So, I'm very sorry for the delay once again. I had been busy finishing up school, graduating, and working these past weeks. But, in that time I've worked out pretty much the rest of this story. Just wanna say thanks to my readers and reviewers for sticking out the wait. Also a big thanks to my beta, RubySun03. :) So, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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_Once we were off the highway, we were in the heart of Baton Rouge. Dane pulled up to the Hotel Victoria, it was the most expensive hotel in Baton Rouge. It had recently started catering to both humans and vampires. The facade was regal and old, and I found it to be extremely beautiful. The valet quickly approached the car, but Dane was already at my door before the valet reached it. After giving me a hand out of the deep seat, Dane tossed his keys to the valet. The tall, red head caught them nimbly, and cautiously climbed into the driver's seat._

_The doorman greeted us as we entered. The check-in and foyer area was made completely out of marble. It was stunning. Crystal chandeliers graced the ceiling which gave everything a warm glow. Dane led me to the elevators and we took them to the top floor. The whole time Dane protectively kept his arm around me._

_We reached the top floor a few minutes later. The elevator doors opened up to a medium sized foyer. This one was also made completely out of marble. The parts that weren't marble, such as the moldings, were painted a rich gold. There were three doors, each one leading to a penthouse suite. Dane let go of me for a moment to insert the key into the electronic lock. It beeped and Dane opened the door. I walked into the penthouse and my jaw dropped a little. The room was gorgeous. The room itself still retained it's 1920's chic, but with modern furniture. A contrasting style that I would love to investigate further. I could only imagine how the rest of his room looked._

_I heard the door close and Dane walked up next to me. He gave me a small smile as he motioned me towards the living room. I sat myself down on the long, square-ish couch, it was so comfy. Dane joined me after a moment._

"If you're tired, I can show you to the bedroom," he offered.

"Oh no, I'm good for another hour or so," I assured him, "But, I think we need to talk."

"About Freya?" he presumed.

"Yes," I said as I shifted to sit up more.

_Dane looked down for a moment, but he soon met my eyes_, "We both know Eric will approach Zachary regardless of what we say."

"And, I want to say something to him," I continued, "I don't want to try and handle this on our own."

"I agree," Dane replied.

"Plus on top of this, I think the Fellowship is going to try something and somehow I'm involved," I sighed.

_Dane's brow furrowed_, "When did you find this out?"

"Today. I heard it from Darren's head," I explained, "And I think Zachary would tell Freya about you anyway. It seems like he just wants some reason to send her after you. What did you do to him?"

"Can you stay up long enough for my story?" Dane asked with a chuckle.

"Is it really that long?" I returned.

"No, but you look like you're about to fall asleep," he replied.

_I shrugged_, "I think I can."

"All right," Dane paused, "I was Sheriff of a small Area a long time ago."

"How long ago?"

"About...a hundred and twenty years ago, give or take," he continued, "The shape of the Area has changed greatly over the years. Regardless, I had been Sheriff for about a hundred years already. Now, Zachary was a Sheriff as well in a neighboring state. At the time when a king or queen fought over the land, no one appealed to committees. The rivals would raise armies and have little skirmishes along the border. It was quick and dirty, but more importantly there was a clear winner and loser. It was better then. Now, there are marriages and alliances. Granted, there were love unions but they were far and few."

_I processed that the best I could_, "And the humans didn't notice this at all?"

"You have to remember, humans rarely would venture outside their towns at night," Dane said seriously.

_Right, because they would end up getting killed by vampires._

_'Only the inexperienced ones.'_

"Sorry, I forget that we can do that," I apologized, "Please continue."

"It's alright," Dane assured me, "Anyway, Zachary and I met on the battlefield and within minutes, I had him incapacitated. By the end of the night, I had all the vampires under this control swear their allegiance to my king. And as you know, Zachary thinks very highly of himself. He has been after revenge ever since I bruised his ego when I beat him so quickly."

"If you knew this, why did you agree to see him tonight?" I wondered.

"I didn't want my petty problem to interfere with your enjoyment," he replied.

I smiled, "That's sweet, but I wish you had picked your issue with Zachary over me."

"Next time I will," he laughed.

"Thank you," I replied, laughing as well.

_After our laughter died down, we continued to talk_, "So, what are we going to do about Freya?"

"I believe we should talk to Eric first before we make any decisions," Dane replied after a moment.

"I think so too," I agreed.

"If possible, we should talk to him this weekend," he said seriously.

"I'll call now to let him know," I decided.

_Dane nodded_, "All right."

_I rummaged through my purse, feeling around for my phone. I found it after a moment or two. I selected Dad's number from my contact list and placed the phone to my ear. I knew Dane would be able to hear him perfectly so I didn't bother to put the phone on speaker. He picked up after a few rings._

"Hey kiddo," he greeted me.

"Hi," I replied.

_I tried to sound like my normal relaxed self. But, I just couldn't for some reason. Rarely do I ever call him about boy trouble-usually because there isn't anything to call about. But when I have to, it's never on the first date. All of this Dad picked up right away. Although, to be fair Mom would be able to as well._

"What happened?" he asked.

"Well, that's why I'm calling," I replied.

"Where are you? Are you ok? Did Dane do something to you?" he demanded,"If he did, I'll rip his fangs out myself."

_I looked over to Dane, both of us silently laughing at Dad's tirade_, "No, no. I'm fine and Dane didn't do a thing. I promise. But, I...we need to talk to you and soon."

"All right. Tomorrow night," he said definitely, "But where are you so I know you're ok for now."

"Ah, I'm home now. Don't worry, I'll see you tomorrow," I assured him.

_There was a long pause and for a moment I thought Dad might not have believed me_, "Ok, good. Sleep well and I will see you tomorrow."

"Good night and goodbye," I replied.

"I love you," he added.

"Love you too."

After we both hung up, I let out a sigh of relief. Dane gave me a slightly puzzled look, "What?"

"Why didn't you tell Eric that you were here with me?" he asked.

"Did you really want to deal with that right now?" I returned.

"No, not really," Dane chuckled.

"Well me either," I agreed, "I think I'm going to get a shower and then go to bed."

"Ok, allow me to show you to the bathroom and bedroom," Dane said as he stood up.

_He put out his hand and I took his. As if I were as light as a feather, Dane pulled me right up to my feet. We then ventured down a small hallway and into a bedroom. But, by the looks of it, it was the master. The big king sized bed sat off to the side and near itwas a larger dresser made of dark wood. There was a sitting area with a large flat screen and a cozy looking fireplace. The whole room was lit with soft, flickering light from the fireplace. Dane walked over to one of two doors and opened it. He flipped on the lights._

"Here's the bathroom, everything you should need should be in there. If not, call me," he said.

"Thank you," I replied gratefully.

_I entered the bathroom and shut the door behind me. Again, there was beautiful marble and dark wood. There were double sinks with large two mirrors resting above them. A large spa-like tub sat in the corner next to the toilet. There was also shower in the other corner. It was one of the biggest showers I'd ever seen. The walls were made of out square glass bricks and decorative tile graced the floor._

_I reached in to turn the water on and adjusted it to the correct temperature. I let the water run down my hand for a few seconds, assuring myself that it was just perfect. After stripping down to nothing, I stepped into the shower. I let out a relaxed sigh as the warm water loosened up my stiff muscles. After a few minutes passed, I began to get clean. There were numerous bottles sitting on the built-in shelf. I picked up one, made sure it was the one I wanted and then got to work. Once I was all nice and clean, I stood under the water for a while. A few minutes later, I shut the water off and I stepped out of the shower. I dried off with a fluffy towel and wrapped my hair up in another. Once I was I dry, I unwrapped the towel and left them on the hooks that were attached to the door. I pulled my tank top and leggings back on and folded my other clothes under my arm. I then left the bathroom._

_After finding my purse by the end table, I plopped my clothes next to it and looked for my brush. When I found it, I began to brush out the small knots in my hair. While brushing, I noticed Dane had laid out a long sleeved shirt for me. It was black and had the band's name going down the sleeves. I pulled it over the top of my tank top. It ended about mid-thigh on me. Dane came in to the room, he'd changed as well. He was dressed in an old t-shirt and lounge pants. He sat on the bed and I joined him after I put my brush away._

_He brushed his lips against mine. I returned it just as tenderly._

"So, where am I sleeping?" I asked just above a whisper.

"Here," he replied, his voice just as low, "with me."

"Oh," I said, pulling away a bit.

"I do not expect anything of you," he said calmly, "I only want you to feel safe with me."

_I nodded_, "I already do."

_We both climbed into bed. Dane laid on his side, while I was on my back. I looked up at him_, "I'm worried."

"About?"

"Us, well I mean, if there is an us-I'm worried about what that'll mean," I tried to explain.

"I'm sorry, I'm not following," he replied, "Are you worried we won't continue to see one another?"

"No, no. It's just, you're a renowned musician and I'm just concerned about what that'll mean for our potential relationship," I continued, "And on top of that, my mom is well known in the Supe world. None of us need anyone figuring out about how I'm related to Eric either."

"So you're worried that we couldn't be as public as a normal couple," he added.

"Exactly," I said with a nod, "But, I'm getting ahead of myself. I don't know that there'll be an us."

"What makes you say that?" he asked as he placed his large hand on my hip.

"Well, our first date ended with Zachary threatening to sic Freya on you," I reminded him, "I mean, you were right when you said that I'm a vulnerability for you."

"Yes, but you're much more than that," he began, "You're witty, smart, beautiful, and many other things I can't begin to name. You intrigue me and I want to know you inside and out, in more ways than one."

_I smiled as I blushed slightly, which caused Dane to laugh. He leaned over and kissed me. I returned it just as strongly. Dane pulled me close to him_, "You should sleep now, it's almost four."

"I will, but what should I do tomorrow?" I asked.

"You can stay here if you want and then we can leave for Shreveport tomorrow evening," he offered.

"I'll have to run back home to grab some clothes, but that'll work," I said after a yawn.

_Dane kissed my forehead lightly_, "You can always borrow something of mine."

"I would, but I don't want to give my Dad or Erin the wrong idea," I chuckled.

"That I seduced you into a night of hot, primeval sex?" he asked, amused, "And that whatever you wore has been rendered useless?"

"Yeah, that."

_I felt his laughter rumble up from his chest_, "Well, would that be so bad?"

"For me, no. But, when we see my Dad, you might have some problems," I replied.

"Oh, I think I can take him," Dane chuckled.

"You think so, do you?" I teased.

"Of course."

"If you say so," I said after a yawn, "It's time for sleep now."

"I'll see you tomorrow night," he replied.

"Goodnight," I mumbled.

_After a few moments, I fell asleep. No dreams, just peaceful restorative sleep._

_I woke up the following morning a little disoriented. It was either late morning or early afternoon. And the only reason why I woke up was from my phone ringing. I clumsily felt around for my purse and eventually, I located my phone. I put it up to my ear,_ "Hello?"

"I finally got you!" Erin exclaimed.

"How many times have you called?" I asked sleepily.

"This is my third time now," she replied.

_I yawned_, "Sorry. I had an eventful night...and not in the way you're thinking."

"Then what did happen? And where are you?" Erin asked curiously.

"I'm at the Hotel Victoria and I'll tell you about it when I come home," I assured her.

"Ok, I'll see you in a little while," she said.

"Bye."

"Bye."

_We hung up and I pulled myself out of bed. I stretched out for a moment while trying to figure out what to do first. I decided I'd wash up and then go from there. I picked up my purse and with another yawn I headed into the bathroom. There, I found a note taped to one of the mirrors._

Kim,

I've left some clothes out for you. I know you said no, but I took them out just in case. I'm sure Erin would find it funny. Or at least interesting. Eric probably not so much. I also arranged for a town car to take you to school. Call the concierge and she'll have the car brought out for you. Take care and I'll pick you up tonight.

-Dane

_I set the note aside and saw that Dane had left the clothes sitting on the counter. He'd set out a thermal long sleeve shirt-why he had this I wasn't sure. There was also a pair of track suit pants. I changed my shirt and slid my leggings off. I had to fold the waistband of the pants over several times to keep them up. Then I grabbed my brush from my purse to work the knots out of my hair. I pulled it up into a ponytail and made sure it was centered. I then washed my face._

_Once I was ready, I left the bathroom and found my boots. After zipping them on, I looked through my purse for my scarf that I had stuffed in there the night before. I pulled it out and wrapped it loosely around my neck. I wandered over to the bed and placed a light kiss on Dane's cold cheek. I soon left his bedroom and made my way into the living room. I looked around for my coat for a few minutes, but couldn't find it anywhere. That's when I realized that I must've left it at the club. I sighed as I picked the phone up from the receiver that sat on an end-table. I dialed 1 for the front desk and a woman's voice greeted me. I asked her to have the car brought around. She cheerily said it'd be waiting for me once I came downstairs. I thanked her and hung up._

_I left the penthouse and made my way to the lobby. I tightened the scarf around my neck as I headed outside. Luckily, it wasn't too cold outside today. I found an old man, dressed as a chauffeur, standing there. He looked like someone's innocent grandpa, but I did a quick scan of his head anyway. I didn't find anything alarming. He approached me and smiled._

"Ms. Stackhouse?" he asked.

"That's me," I smiled.

"Wonderful," he replied, "My name's Gerald. Where am I taking you today?"

"To the university, please," I said.

"Alrighty," Gerald nodded.

_He opened the door and I slid in. Soon Gerald joined me in the car and we sped off towards school. It was on the opposite side of town so we arrived there about twenty minutes later. As soon as the car stopped, Gerald was out of the car and at my door. He opened it and helped me out. I thanked him and handed him a tip. He tipped his cap in return._

"Will I be coming to get you later on today?" he asked.

"No, but thank you again," I replied.

_I crossed the campus,and soon realized that it was much colder than I first thought. Now I really wished I hadn't forgotten my coat at the club. By the time I reached our apartment my fingers were numb. Trying to find my keys in the mess of my purse was a bit difficult as was trying to open the door. But, I eventually got in. I was surprised not to find Erin waiting for me in the living room, but as if on cue, she appeared a few seconds later from the bathroom. Erin looked me over and smiled._

"Eventful night, huh?" she asked as she sat on the couch.

I joined her after tossing my stuff to the side, "Yeah."

"Well, you're home in his clothes so something good must've happened," Erin grinned.

"I wish I could say yes," I said with a little huff.

_I sensed the concern coming from Erin. She motioned for me to continue_, "Well, dinner and the concert were great. Dane took me to see Lilith and after the show we were invited backstage. Dane and Zachary have some issues with one another. And when Dane went to take a call, Zachary tried to bite me."

_I paused so Erin could take that all in. Shock was written on her face_, "I hope Dane kicked his ass for that."

"Sort of. But then on top of that, Zachary threatened to tell Dane's maker, Freya, his whereabouts. She sounds very, very scary and I'm worried she's going to come after Dane...and me," I continued, "So, I called my Dad and hopefully he can help."

"Your dad's Eric Northman, I'm sure he can," Erin replied.

"Yeah, but his power and name only extend so far. It didn't seem to scare Zachary in the least," I sighed, "And I know Zachary will send Freya regardless of my Dad intervening or not. And, I know he will intervene. So, I'm just trying to prepare."

"All of this came out of one date?" Erin asked, looking stunned.

"That's not all," I said, remembering something else.

"You're kidding," Erin groaned.

"No, I think Darren has some sort of plan going on with the Fellowship," I told her.

_Erin's brow furrowed_, "What? You can't be serious."

"I am. I heard it in his head," I explained.

_Erin stared at me for a moment, but soon remembered that I can read minds_, "Oh...you can't catch a break can you?"

"No, not really," I chuckled.

"Well, if I can do anything for you let me know," Erin offered.

"Thanks, but unless you know how to stop a nine hundred something year old vampire who's bat shit crazy, I think I'll stick with my Dad," I said.

"Wish I could say I do," she replied solemnly.

"Do you like it?" I asked abruptly.

"Like what?"

"Like knowing all of this. I mean, before Dracula Night I probably wouldn't have told you half of this," I reasoned.

"In a way no," she paused, "But, I want to be there for you, Kim. For the good and bad. You're my best friend, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't stick with you?"

"Yeah, well, the bad could get you hurt. What kind of friend am I to allow that to happen?" I asked as the weight of the situation grew upon my shoulders.

Erin moved to hug me, which I greatly accepted, "The kind that knows that it's out of her hands. Plus, I can handle myself just fine. Don't worry about it, everything'll fall into place."

"I hope it does," I said.

_We let go of one another and stood up. Erin went on her way to work and I headed towards my room. I emptied my bag, throwing the clothes into the hamper. I made my way into the bathroom and grabbed a quick shower. Afterward, I blow dried my hair, brushed my teeth, and dabbed on some make-up. I went back into my room and got dressed. Once my heavy sweater and jeans were on, I packed up Dane's clothes into a plastic bag._

_I reorganized my purse and grabbed a bite to eat. Before I knew it, it was dark once again. And half an hour later, Dane was at my door. He once again greeted me by planting a toe-curling kiss on me, which I reciprocated. He pulled away and grinned._

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied after grabbing a coat from the small closet.

_Dane took my hand and we left my apartment. Soon, we were on the road heading for Bon Temps._

_

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_

Hope you enjoyed it. Drop me a review if you'd like. :)

-Forever Is Never Forever


	11. Parents

There's really nothing I can say that defends why this chapter so long to post. I can only say that I'm sorry and I will try to not let it happen again. A big thanks to those who've stuck by and my beta, RubySun03.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters.

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_We drove in relative silence, which was good because it gave me time to think about what I was going to say my parents. There wasn't really a good way to explain everything that happened. I knew that when I told them the story, Dad would be even more opposed to my seeing Dane and I hadn't even told him about the date. It would be interesting to say the least. I knew Mom would be, for the most part, levelheaded. I didn't expect that from Dad though. Dane must've sensed my nervousness and took my hand into his. He squeezed it a little._

"Everything will be alright," he assured me.

"Right, of course," I said sarcastically.

_Dane glanced at me, _"You don't think so?"

"I think shit will hit the fan before anything is okay," I replied frankly, "I know my Dad will do something because of Zachary. What, I couldn't even begin to imagine."

"Well, we'll have to persuade him otherwise," Dane sighed.

"That's not likely. You know how he is," I sighed as well, "But, we need to think of a way to deal with Freya first. I'm not really worried about Zachary right now."

"There isn't much that can stop her," Dane replied solemnly.

"Oh don't be such a Negative Nancy. I know of three things that can stop her: the Sun, some silver, and a stake," I grinned.

"Yes, well, she's been around for just over nine hundred years. Freya's become very good at avoiding those things," Dane said pointedly.

"She's less than a thousand years old? I thought she was much older than that," I wondered aloud.

_Dane looked at me with a puzzled look, _"Why would you think that?"

"Well, you said you were nearly seven hundred years old, so I thought she was older," I shrugged, "I didn't think it was common for a young vampire to become a maker."

"It's not. Freya's sire, Callis, had released her at a young age. He liked Freya's fieriness as a human. However, he was unable to really control Freya when he turned her. Once he taught her how to survive, he left," Dane paused, "But, Freya loved him and was very…upset when Callis left. She was desperate for companionship. I was the unwilling companion she chose."

"What were you before she sired you?" I asked.

"A warrior and I owned a good portion of land as well. I had a pretty good life, all things considered," Dane recalled.

_I debated whether or not to ask Dane more questions. I know many vampires don't like talking about their former lives. But, my curiosity got the best of me, _"Did you have a family?"

"I did," Dane said quietly, "I was married at sixteen and when I turned twenty I had five children and a second wife. Surprisingly, I made it to the ripe, old age of twenty-nine by the time Freya turned me."

"Do you miss them?" I pried a little more.

"I miss my children from time to time, but not really my wives. They were nice, but I wasn't very…attached to them," Dane said bluntly.

_I simply nodded. I didn't really have a response for that. Dane chuckled and grinned, _"Anymore questions?"

"Uh, no, I don't think so," I replied.

"Are you sure? I don't mind talking about it," he assured me.

"Okay, I do. What do you think will happen if Freya finds me? I mean, do I even stand a chance?" I asked, "And would she go after Erin or Karsten?"

"No, she wouldn't go after your friends. But, I would make them aware of the situation," Dane paused, "She will try to use you in any way to punish me. The ways she implements her punishment are limitless. And, honestly, I don't believe you would stand a chance against her. She wants to hurt me so she's going to hurt you," Dane looked over to me, "I need to protect you in every way I possibly can."

_I sunk into the deep seat of the car, _"What have we gotten into?"

"You don't even want to know," Dane replied.

"But, I do. I want to know what to expect. I want to be able to prepare myself," I argued.

"Maybe...we shouldn't continue to see each other," Dane muttered.

"Are you saying that because you think it would solve all of this? You know it wouldn't. Freya will come and find me anyway," I told him.

"I know, but I just don't want to see you get hurt because of her. She's not your problem," he continued.

"Well, Zachary's not your problem. If it weren't for me, we wouldn't have to deal with Freya in the first place," I replied stubbornly.

_Dane looked at me, _"I didn't expect you to just lie back and allow Zachary to bite you. He was going to tell Freya about me regardless. We can blame ourselves all we want, but we're in this situation now. We need to find a way out."

"That's for sure," I agreed.

_We were in Bon Temps sooner than I thought. As Dane's car crept up the driveway, I had that sinking feeling. That feeling you get when you have to tell your parents bad news and then enlist them to dig you out. Dane parked next to Dad's Corvette and we headed up the walkway. Mom met us at the door and allowed us in. We passed through the threshold and I spotted Dad sitting in the living room. He and Dane shared a nod while Mom brought out a couple bottles of True Blood. _

_Dane and I perched ourselves on the couch while my parents sat on the loveseat. An awkward silence had settled around us while the two vamps sipped their bloods. God, it was like I was telling them I was pregnant or something. I let out a long sigh. _

"Okay…so here it is," I paused, "I got myself in a _little _bit of trouble."

"Law or supernatural?" Mom asked, "And how little is little?"

"Supernatural and two vampires have it out for me," I clarified.

"Who?" Dad asked, his voice was like ice.

"Uh, Zachary Rees and Dane's maker, Freya," I said, the weight of the situation becoming heavier by the minute.

"I know Zachary, a petulant and irritating waste of a vampire," Dad inferred, "What happened?"

"He tried to feed from Kim," Dane interjected.

_I heard a faint growl from Dad. He had a look on his face that I'd only seen a few times in my life. It was an expression that made my blood run cold. I could almost feel the rage radiating from him. The well stored and dispensed rage. The last time I had seen it was when he found out about what Mark had done to me. Dad was beyond livid and without a word he stood up. He made his way to the front door, but wouldn't make it passed the door. _

"Eric Northman sit your Viking butt down," Mom ordered him as she stood up, "You're not going anywhere."

_Only my Mom could say such a thing to him. _

"Sookie…" he said warningly.

"Don't you "Sookie" me, Eric. I know what you want to do, but that won't solve anything," she argued.

"Yes, it will. He won't be able to feed for a _very _long time. That solves everything," Dad countered.

"You can't just go out and blindly attack someone," Mom reasoned.

_Dad sighed, _"You say it like I'm going after a human. I've known Zachary for many centuries now and I've wanted to rip his fangs out since I met him. Now I have the perfect reason."

_He looked over to Dane and I. Dad sent a hard glare at Dane, _"Where were you? I trusted you to protect Kim."

"My band mate Owen called me, which he rarely does. I found out that our guitarist, Ian, almost met the final death at the hands of a few members of the Fellowship of the Sun," Dane explained, a hint of regret lingered in his voice, "But, I shouldn't have left her."

"You're right. You shouldn't have," Dad said chidingly as he opened the door.

"Sit down," she said firmly, "You seem to forget the consequences of going after Zachary. He could call you in front of a committee if he desired and I know you'd do much more that just pull a couple of fangs out."

_He was about to say something else when I stopped him, _"Zachary is not my biggest concern. What I need your help with right now is Dane's maker."

_Dad closed the door and sat back down. Mom joined him once again. He looked at me, his features much softer now. I bit my bottom lip nervously. _

"I intend on taking care of Zachary. However, for now that can wait. I can tell you're scared by Dane's sire," Dad said softly, "What happened with her?"

"I had attacked her years ago. She's looking for me and now Kim because Zachary most likely has told Freya about her," Dane explained, "I don't know how to protect Kim."

"I haven't met your sire, but have heard some…interesting tidbits about her," Dad began, "Is she hell-bent on finding you?"

"Has been since I almost staked her," Dane confirmed.

"If she wants to find you so bad why doesn't she just call you to her?" Mom asked.

_I wanted to know the same thing. _

"She likes the hunt," Dane replied plainly.

"I can't protect you, Kim, if you're at school," Dad said soberly.

"Are you asking me to leave for the rest of the semester?" I asked, surprised.

_Dad nodded, _"I think it's best until we know where Freya is at least."

"I'm not going to leave in fear of some crazy vamp who wants to use me to get to Dane. I'm not going to live in fear. All of my classes are during the day and she can't get into the apartment unless Erin or I invite her," I replied stubbornly.

"It's not enough," Dad said simply.

"Eric, we can't ask Kim to just drop everything," Mom reasoned.

"I ask her the same thing I would ask of you," he replied.

"And you should know I wouldn't do it either," she said.

"Kim can stay with me," Dane offered.

_All three of our heads jerked in Dane's direction. He hesitated to continue, _"I have a place in Baton Rouge which is where Kim's school is. More importantly, I can watch over her during the night."

"You're on the other side of the city and I won't leave Erin on her own, especially if Freya is looking for me," I argued.

"She won't go after her," Dane tried to assure me.

"You don't know that for sure," I huffed.

"I know I have to protect you," Dane replied.

_I crossed my arms, _"Then you're gonna have to stay with me. I won't leave Erin alone. If she were to get hurt I could never forgive myself."

"Then I will," Dane conceded.

"What?" I exclaimed.

"You need protection and I will provide it for you at any cost," Dane said.

"How can I expect you to protect her when you were so easily distracted the first time?" Dad demanded.

"Eric, I swear if I fail Kim you can do what you want with me," Dane replied unblinkingly.

_Dad snorted, _"As noble and stupid as your gesture is, it doesn't tell me how you can ensure Kim's safety."

"I can't promise that. But if Freya shows up, no harm will come to Kim. I can guarantee you that much," Dane replied undauntedly.

"Why don't we go outside and discuss the details of how you'll be protecting Kimberly," Dad offered, although Dane had no choice in the matter.

"Eric," Mom said warningly.

"He'll come back," he assured her.

_Without hesitation Dane stood up. The two of them headed out through the kitchen. I sighed as I placed my head into my hands. I felt the cushion next to me sag as Mom sat down. She smoothed my hair with her hand. I groaned and looked up at her, _"I told Zachary that you're my mom."

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Because threatening him with Dad wasn't enough and I panicked," I shrugged, "What do I do?"

"Honey, I wish I could tell you," she said, sounding defeated, "But I'll do whatever I can to help you in any way. Dad will too, you know that."

"I never doubted either of you would," I said appreciatively, "I…I'm sorry."

"For?"

"For all of this. For all the supernatural related trouble I've caused," I said.

"Oh sweetie, the day I found out I was pregnant I knew none of this was going to be easy," Mom consoled, "We're just lucky that this hasn't happened sooner."

"Well we've had plenty happen, I mean Dad still hates Karsten," I whined.

"I doubt that'll ever change," she sighed, "Karsten was your first boyfriend. I think he'll always dislike Karsten for that."

"I thought it was because I brought him over while you guys were out of town and we had sex," I blinked.

"Yeah, well that too," Mom chuckled, "But you know the real reason, Kim."

_I nodded, _"I know, it's because he was just freaking out that I was growing up. They've been outside for a while now."

"I'm sure they'll be back any second now," she assured me.

_As if on cue, the two vamps came walking back in from the kitchen. Neither looked worse for wear, which was a good sign. Dad sat next to Mom, however, Dane remained standing. _

"Eric and I decided that it'd be best if we left so we'd get back to Baton Rouge before dawn. I know you don't want to leave Erin alone for too long," Dane said.

"Okay," I agreed, "But, what did you two agree on?"

"I'll tell you in the car," Dane said vaguely.

"Alright."

_I stood up and bent down to hug my parents. I told them how much I appreciated their help and that I loved them. They both gave me a peck on the cheek. Straightening myself up, Dane and I left. We climbed into his sports car and we were soon zooming down Hummingbird Road. Neither one of us spoke. Dane's lips were pressed firmly together, as if he were in deep thought. I had my own thoughts whirling around my head. However, sometime after entering the interstate I nodded off. By the time I woke back up we were heading on to the exit ramp. _

"Eric doesn't want me to see you after Freya is dealt with," Dane spoke once he was aware I was awake.

"Well, that's too bad. It's not his decision," I replied.

"He said it more as a command than anything else," Dane grinned, "But, I figured you'd think otherwise."

"My Dad can think what he wants. He has never liked anyone I've dated. I never expected him to start with you," I shrugged, "So how do you and my dad plan to keep Freya from squishing me like a bug?"

"He wants to use Zachary as a messenger to tell Freya where I am to lure her into a trap. However, Eric neglected to tell me what he intends to do with Freya once she's caught. I suspect he'll force her into submission," Dane explained.

"We're not doing that," I said adamantly.

_Dane glanced at me, _"Well what other options do we have?"

"None, but how do we know she'll even go for the trap? And besides, you could get hurt or worst," I rebutted, "Plus, why would Zachary believe my dad?"

"I don't know. Perhaps, Eric will trick him as well," Dane presumed.

"Well, I don't like his plan," I huffed.

"It's the only one we have," he reminded me.

_I looked at him, _"We'll make a new one then."

"Alright then," Dane sighed.

_Silence fell upon us once again. I decided I needed to know more information about Freya, which made me wonder if Bill Compton's database would help with that. I think I still had a copy of it. I really hoped I did. However, whatever I gathered from the database would be useless unless it could help me to rid myself of Freya. It just irked me that I had done absolutely nothing to her and yet she wanted to torture me just to get to Dane. Then again, Dane did say she was crazy. As I thought more, staking her seemed to be the only option. _

"If it happened, would you be upset if Freya met her true death?" I asked.

"I...don't know," Dane replied, caught off guard, "probably not."

"Do you feel anything towards her?" I pried a little more.

"Nothing heartwarming," he remarked, "Freya made me do many awful things over the centuries I was in her company. Such horrors I cannot even bring myself to speak of. She did not save me from death when I was sired. I was healthy and strong-I had my whole life yet to live."

"So you wouldn't be all torn up on the inside then if she really died?" I rephrased.

"No, I wouldn't," Dane paused, "But she did give me my new life and without her turning me I would have never met you. That is only thing I am grateful for from her."

_He took my hand into his and squeezed, _"But if you were to stake her I would not hold it against you."

"That's good to know," I smiled.

"Do you want to come back to the hotel tonight?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"I would, but I want to get up early tomorrow to fix the apartment up for your undetermined length of stay," I said, a bit regretfully.

"We can do that now," Dane replied matter-of-factly, "Unless, we would disturb Erin."

"No, she's staying at her boyfriend's apartment tonight," I informed him, "But is there anywhere that's open this late?"

"Wal-Mart?" he suggested.

_I laughed a little at the thought of Dane wandering around Wal-Mart. Famous or not, everyone enjoys the luxury of convenience. _

"Yeah, that'll work," I agreed.

_We got off the interstate and headed into one of the suburbs that surrounded Baton Rouge. Dane's sports car sped down the road until we came across a shopping center with a Wal-Mart. Dane steered the car into the nearly deserted parking lot. _

_It was nearly 2AM when we entered the superstore. We headed down to the Home section of the store. I needed to find blackout panels for the windows in my room. They were a staple for any vampire who couldn't afford to have their widows light proofed. I spied them on the shelves and found there were only two left. Luckily, that how's many I needed! _

_Dane and I then made our way over to the food section. As we walked down the aisle, a few teens eyed us with suspicion. I picked from their heads that Dane seemed familiar to them. However, Dane caught them gawking and sent them a hard look, which caused them to scurry off. _

"Last thing we need is to be hounded by some kids," Dane said stiffly, seeming uncomfortable now.

"More you than me," I said as I opened the refrigerator door to pull out a few packs of True Blood.

_Dane took the cases from me as I stuck the panels under my arm. We walked towards the check out. _

"Well, you should probably get used to it," he continued.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Once this business with Freya is done, I want to take you out again. I'll get recognized and eventually, you will too," Dane explained.

_I placed the panels on the self-check out register, _"I don't know that I'd want to get used to that."

"I understand," Dane sympathized, "and I will try to keep you out of the public eye as long as I can. But, I'll have to attend events and I'll want you there with me."

"Oh? And not Isabel Grey?" I teased. There had been a yearlong rumor that she and Dane had been dating.

_Dane crinkled his nose, which I thought was incredibly cute, _"I'd rather eat silver."

"Really?" I chuckled as I swiped the items across the scanner.

"Really."

_After bagging the blood and panels I went to pay. However, Dane had already swiped his card and signed. I hated vampire speed sometimes. _

"Let me pay you back," I insisted for the third time as he climbed into the car.

"No," Dane replied simply.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Why should you have to pay for things that I need for basic survival?" Dane countered as we entered the highway once more.

"Because you're my guest and I want you to be comfortable," I pointed out.

_Dane shook his head, _"After all I have caused you, this is the least I can do."

"Oh fine," I conceded.

_We made it back to the apartment around 3:30. Dane installed the panels while I stocked the fridge with blood. Afterward, I gave him the short tour of our home. I pointed out Erin's room, showed him the bathroom, and linen closet. We headed back into my room once I finished showing Dane everything. _

_I really wished I had cleaned my room earlier. I had books and clothes everywhere. It made my small-ish room look exceptionally cluttered. My bed sat under one of the windows, the other one on the other end of the wall. The bed was what made the room seem small though. I managed to fit a double bed in the room. I had to sacrifice my desk to the living room, but it was well worth it. The little closet faced the bed while my dresser was under the other window. I had a few movie and music posters up with other pictures of family and friends scattered around. _

_Before climbing into bed, we changed. Dane just striped down to his boxers; however, I put on my longer sleep shirt. Undressing in front of him felt somewhat odd, but I felt comfortable at the same time. As I pushed my head through the neck of the shirt, I could feel Dane's hands pull it down. His cool hands brushed against my stomach,and he kissed my cheek. _

_We settled into bed with him on the side that touched the wall. He pulled me close to him, allowing me to lie against him. He wrapped his draped across my stomach. I felt so safe. Dane kissed me once again. I could feel sleep getting a hold of me. _

"Dream peacefully," he whispered.


	12. Once Bitten

Hey guys, I really sorry for the delays in updating. I have yet to balance writing for fun and writing school. I'm trying though! Thanks for sticking by me and a big thanks to my beta, RubySun03! She's so awesome for taking time out her busy schedule to beta for me. Well, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only own my characters, nothing more.

Recap: Kim is the daughter of Sookie and Eric. She's a telepath like Sookie and she is currently attending college in Baton Rouge. Kim used to date a Were named Karsten who is the son of Alcide, however, now they are just friends. She rooms with her other best friend Erin, who until recently new nothing about Kim's supernatural connections. Kim dated a human named Darren for a few months, but found him to be too aggressive. She is now involved with a vampire named Dane, but their relationship is getting off to a rocky start after a run-in with another vampire named Zachary.

* * *

_I was up and typing away at my desk by 9 the following morning. However, if I had it my way I'd still be cuddled up in bed with Dane. But, I had a paper due at the end of the week and something inside me told me I'd better get the paper done now. I didn't like that nagging feeling, but I pushed it aside for later pondering. Between sips of coffee, I had a few good spurts of creativity. However, the flow was cut off by the loud growl coming from my stomach. I was up to page six of the eight I needed. Not bad considering I had only written two beforehand. So, I quickly saved my document and got dressed._

_My hair was exceptionally unruly today. What was more unfortunate was that I could see the beginnings of my blond roots. I sighed. Maybe I should just go back to being blond. I really liked my dark hair, but not at the cost of getting my roots done every month or so. I clipped my mess of waves back. After brushing my teeth and dabbing on some make up, I grabbed my coat and headed out. I decided to text Erin to see if she wanted to meet up for lunch. By the time I was at the shuttle stop, Erin texted me back saying she'd meet me at the diner. A short ride later, I was waiting outside for Erin. She rounded the corner and smiled as she walked up to me._

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," I replied, "How's Jack?"

"Good, as always," Erin said as we entered the diner.

_The hostess welcomed us and led us to our seats. She motioned to a booth by the window. Our waitress came over and took our drink orders, while Erin and I mulled over the menu for a couple of minutes._

"So, how was visiting your parents?" she asked, setting the menu down.

"Ah, less helpful than I hoped for," I groaned.

"Really?" Erin asked, "That's surprising."

"How so?"

"Well, your dad's…well, he is who he is. I'm shocked he didn't have a solution. I mean, he's pretty powerful," Erin clarified.

_I nodded_, "That may be true, but, I didn't like his solution."

"Do you have your own?" she asked.

"Uh, sort of. I actually have something to tell you," I said, my voice low.

"Okay," Erin replied, cautiously.

"Dane and my dad decided that I needed to be protected, which I think is completely unnecessary. On top of that my dad wanted to pull me out of school for the rest of the semester, and that wasn't going to happen," I paused, "So, Dane's going to be staying with us for a while."

"Oh…uh, okay," she replied hesitantly.

"If you're not alright with this, tell me. We'll find other arrangements. I don't want you to feel obligated to accept this situation," I told her.

_Erin waved me off_, "He's here to protect you. Plus, I get to stare at him when you're not looking."

_We both laughed. The waitress came back over with our drinks and took our orders._

"Erin, you should know that Dane's maker is very dangerous. There isn't any reason for her to come after you, but if she was to become desperate…she might. I want you to know what you're getting into," I said somberly.

"Kim, you're my best friend. I'm here for you no matter what. I know you'd be willing to risk your life if my vampire-boyfriend's maker was after us," Erin assured me with a hint of sarcasm.

_I shook my head, but laughed_, "Is it really that ridiculous?"

"Yeah, it kinda is," Erin agreed.

"What have I gotten myself into?" I wondered.

"Love's complex," Erin mused.

"But, I'm not in love with him. I barely know him," I huffed.

_Erin sighed_, "Well, you obviously feel something for him or you wouldn't have stuck around."

"Not seeing him wouldn't solve anything regardless of how I felt," I countered.

"Yeah, but you would have tried anyways even if you knew there wasn't a chance in hell Dane's maker would leave you alone. You feel something for him, I know you do," Erin rebutted.

"The only guy I ever felt anything for like that was Karsten," I said, almost hesitantly, "And for a while, I thought I'd only ever feel that for him."

"You're not betraying him by loving another guy," she reminded me.

"I know that, it's not like I'm hoping we'll miraculously be together again. No, we're better off as friends. He just needs a less psychotic girlfriend who isn't me," I explained, "I'm not afraid of love, it's just…I'm afraid to love Dane. The odds of ending up like my parents are slim to none. Plus, there was that whole Mark incident."

_Erin gave me a look_, "How do you know you two won't end up having a human-for-a-day baby?"

_Telling Erin about my conception was interesting. She found it fascinating and adorable. Erin found it endearing that my dad would do all of that for my mom. I did too._

"I don't think Dane would want to risk himself just for that," I replied.

"Don't underestimate him. You don't know what he wants. He could surprise you," Erin grinned.

"I'm not saying I wouldn't love that, but I don't expect it either," I reasoned.

"Okay, okay. But, my point is that you clearly care for him," Erin finalized.

_I nodded_, "I do. I think he cares for me too. Well, I hope he does."

"I'm sure he does," she said brightly.

_Our waitress brought out our food and refilled our drinks before leaving us to eat. As we ate, I was thinking how odd it was that Erin was so pro-Dane. I wasn't mad that she wasn't siding with me per se, but she was really pushing the relationship thing. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to ask._

"So, what's with the pro-relationship thing with Dane?" I asked nonchalantly.

"I just want you to have a good relationship for once. I mean, I know you had one with Karsten but that's over. You deserve one and I think you'll have it with Dane once this maker business is done with," Erin said with a smile, "Kim, I love you like a sister. I just want you to be happy."

_I grinned_, "Thanks, Erin. That means a lot."

_We ate and paid our bill. Erin left to meet her younger sister to do some shopping for their mom's upcoming birthday. It was her 50th and they were throwing her a surprise party. I had to get Mrs. Singer a gift as well. I made a mental note to go out some time next week. As I headed back to the apartment, I called Karsten and asked him to meet me in the lobby of our building. He agreed. I could hear the concern in his voice. He must've heard the worry in mine. A short ride later I was walking towards the apartment building. As I walked, I saw Darren crossing the Quad, but he didn't see me. He was walking with another girl with his arm around her waist. She was lean, petite, and bottle blond. Our paths crossed and Darren looked me right in the eyes and grinned. Oh shit, oh shit._

"Hi Kim," he said in passing.

_I stayed quiet and kept trekking along trying to shake the creepiness of the situation._

_I entered the building and found Karsten sitting in one of the chairs that were situated around a small statue. Karsten and I hugged before leaving the building. We walked over the student center and grabbed some coffee at Starbucks. After getting our drinks, we found a secluded seating area to talk._

"So, what's going on?" he asked after a sip.

"In short, Dane's crazy maker is hell bent on making him suffer by hurting me," I said in one breath.

"Are you…really?" Karsten asked.

"Yeah, I just wanted to let you know so you don't get caught in the crossfire," I explained, "You shouldn't have to worry, but you should be aware."

"I already am a Were," he grinned

_I shook my head and laughed_, "Really?"

"Well, puns are the highest form of humor," Karsten replied cheekily.

"They were," I said, "But, I'm trying to be serious."

"Okay, okay," he said amicably, "Tell me what happened in a little more detail."

_Quickly, I explained what had happened with Zachary and the talk with my parents. Karsten nodded, seemingly taking it all in._

"I'm not trying to include you in my problems. I just want you to be safe, that's all," I clarified.

"Thanks," he said genuinely.

"Any time."

"I would still leave the pack if you asked," Karsten said abruptly.

_I gave him a look_, "What?"

"I'm only tied to the pack by blood. My allegiance is not set in stone," he sighed.

"I don't think your dad would like to hear that," I remarked.

"He wouldn't, but honestly, I don't give a fuck. I don't want my life to revolve around the pack. I don't want to be pack master. I don't want to have sex with some girl just to increase our numbers," Karsten continued, "I don't want any of it. I just want to get married, have a couple of kids, and go on with my life."

"I knew you weren't crazy about being a part of the pack, but I didn't know you felt this way," I said, shocked, "Have you told your dad any of this?"

"No, and even if I did it wouldn't change anything. He'd say it doesn't matter what I want, it's for the benefit of the pack. Everything is for the pack," Karsten rolled his eyes, "Call me selfish, but I want something for me. So, if you told me to leave the pack I would. I would leave it for you, Kim. I don't have a crazy maker that wants to torture you. We had a good thing, you know."

"I do and it was great. Amazing, really. But, running away with me isn't going to solve anything. You need to tell your dad how you feel. You don't have to be pack master. You don't have to be anything you don't want to be," I paused, "Plus, what about Carrie?"

"She's not for me. None of the girls in the pack are. They're too high strung," Karsten shrugged, "I swear if I didn't change every full moon, I would think I was human."

"So, you'd pick a telepath with a vampire for father? What makes you think that's any better?" I joked.

"Well, Eric didn't kill me when he found out we had sex while they were out of town. So, I figure I can't do any worse," Karsten grinned, "Plus, your mom loves me."

"It's true, she does," I grinned as well.

"But, you're gonna stick with the dead one aren't you?" he asked.

_I nodded_, "I am. Even on my best day, I'm still conscious of your brain being present. With Dane, I'm not. Sure, he'll burst into flame in the daylight but I've always been a night person anyway."

"It just seems like life would be easier for the both of us," Karsten said thoughtfully.

"I know and I love you, Karsten. But, we're better as friends," I said.

"I know, I know," he assured me.

"You don't have to stay in the pack," I said.

"I need a reason to leave aside from not wanting to be a part of it," Karsten explained.

"You need a reason or your dad needs one?" I asked.

"He wants one. I've brought up my involvement in the pack and the older I get, the more I have to invest into the pack. He wants me to be very involved with the politics. I just want to be a member, if that," Karsten said.

"You need to talk to him," I urged him.

"I know. I've tried, but I'll just have to try again."

I smiled, "It's for the best."

"Hopefully," Karsten said with a small smile.

_I hugged him, which he accepted gratefully. We moved on to a lighter subject and before I knew it, it was dark. Dane would be up and I wanted to see him. So, Karsten and I parted ways. But before we left we made a date to grab get some lunch within the week. I left the student center and I was in my apartment within a few minutes. Dane was up when I entered. He was sipping a True Blood as he leafed through one of the magazines on the table. I put my stuff by the little table by the door and then joined him, he smiled._

"Good evening," I said happily.

"I like Erin, she's funny," Dane said with a grin.

"Oh no, what did she do?" I asked.

Dane shook his head, "Nothing. She's quick with humor, that's all."

"I should have probably told you last night that she would be here," I said, "Sorry."

"Don't be. She was very hospitable and she's gone now anyway. Erin told me to tell you that she was going back to her boyfriend's and to call her if you need anything," Dane recalled.

"Well, that's good and thanks."

_Dane polished off his True Blood and stood up. He pulled me to my feet as well and pressed me firmly against him. Dane wrapped his arms around me and gave a little squeeze. I slid my arms around his neck. His cool lips were by my ear,_ "You're very tense. I can sense it."

"I saw Darren on my way to see Karsten and it just freaked me out. Add that to the Freya thing, so yeah, I'm tense," I sighed, "I just want it all to be over."

"Forget it for now," he whispered.

"I can't," I protested.

"Try."

"How? It's all I can think about for the most part," I continued.

_Dane didn't answer; instead he planted his lips onto mine. He kissed me harder and I reciprocated. We stumbled our way to the bedroom. Halfway there, Dane picked me up and carried me into the room, still kissing me. Gently, he laid me down on the bed. Breaking the kiss for a moment, I caught my breath. Dane grinned a fang-y smile. I wanted Dane to just take me and make me forget everything for a few hours. But something in me was hesitant. A residual effect from the Mark incident, I figured. But, this was different. I was in more control and Dane was more experienced. But more importantly, I completely trusted Dane._

_I pulled Dane farther onto the bed. He had been patiently waiting for my word._

_Softly he kissed my lips, then my neck, and then my collarbone. I felt his hands wandering around my body. Mine seemed to have a mind of their own as they were busy pulling Dane's shirt off. He caught my hands in his._

"We don't have to," he said quietly.

"I want to though. You want me to forget for a while, then make me forget," I beckoned.

He smirked, "I'll make you forget as many times as you want."

_I pressed my lips against his, my tongue running along his bottom lip. They parted and his tongue slid in to meet mine. Most of the hindering garments were lost and a lot of body exploration commenced. It was mainly Dane finding ways to make me squirm in the most sensational ways. He cupped my one breast while he sucked and nipped the other. Dane's fingers traveled southward and elicited goosebumps along the way. He found my little nub and passed his finger over it several times, which caused me to let out a moan or two. His lips met mine again. He continued to tease me and I continued to twitch in delight as I clenched the sheets with my fists. I felt Dane's finger glide into me. I gasped even more when he added another one. A smirk graced his lips as he rhythmically moved them in and out. I began to quiver, as the knot in my core grew._

"Oh," I gasped, "do that again."

_Dane kissed me as his hand made the same wondrous movement again which caused a moan to stir from my lips._

_He pulled away for a moment so I could push his boxers down his toned legs. I gawked a little at the sight of his manhood, which caused Dane to chuckle. He gently pushed me back down again as he kissed me. His big hands covered mine as he pushed my arms against the bed. Dane kissed me with passion. I reciprocated with just as much emotion. His one arm left and I soon felt his fingers run along my inner thigh and slip back into me. My hips arched at his touch as he moved faster. The knot in my core grew and grew. Dane's hand made all sorts of amazing and tantalizing movements. I was so close. His lips encompassed my nipple again. He pulled on it slightly, which caused a moan to escape my lips. My free arm wrapped around his neck, which allowed my fingers to run through his thick, dark hair. As he moved them in and out, Dane ran his thumb against my nub. I couldn't hold out much longer. His fingers withdrew and he focused once again on teasing my little bud. In no time, I was seeing flying colors._

_As I came down from my high, Dane repositioned himself. His lips captured mine._

_I felt his tip teasing me, but not a moment later, Dane claimed me. I made some sort of noise, a mixture of slight pain but mostly ecstasy. Although I had some idea of what to expect, it wasn't nearly enough. He filled me completely, my walls quivered just from his presence. Dane waited a moment before moving to reenter and every time he did I grew more accustomed to him. Pain quickly dissipated into pure pleasure. Dane slowly drew out each movement. He was tortuously slow. With each thrust, I was that much closer and the knot in my core grew bigger. Dane's lips were on mine again after spending some time sucking and kissing the pulse point on my neck. He pulled slightly on my bottom lip. He whispered sweet nothing, although the longer we went they came out more like grunts. In between moans, I spoke my own affectionate words. With each thrust I moaned a little louder and dug my nails into Dane's back a little deeper. He grunted with satisfaction. Dane began to lose his control and steadiness. And before long, there was no control. Each thrust was hard and fast. My hips arching just as they did before as I grew closer. The knot in my center was heavy and building fast. I could feel Dane was near too. The tension in my core was so great._

_With every erratic entrance, we were that much closer to climax. Dane had been kissing every inch of my body but he soon made his way to my neck. I felt his fangs on my skin, and I lulled my head to the side. I was on the edge. One more thrust and I was over into another world of pure orgasmic euphoria. Dane had rocketed me into ecstasy and pleasure. Every muscle of my body twitched with delight. Dane came to his climax. He grunted a hash of English and Swedish. I felt nothing more than a small sting when Dane's fangs pierced my skin. I could feel my warm blood running down my neck and chest. But his mouth was right there to lap it right up. He drank his fill and licked the wound clean._

_He pulled me into his arms, both of us lying on our sides. Dane kissed my neck and then my lips. It was metallicy from the remnants of my blood on his lips._

"You're beautiful," he whispered, "and delicious."

_I grinned_, "Thank you."

_Dane kissed my neck once more, this time where the fang marks were. He looked down at me,_ "Are you alright?"

"Just fine," I said dreamily.

"That was more than I expected," he chuckled.

"Oh," I said, feeling odd.

"But, I enjoyed every moment of it," Dane said as he ran his hand over my stomach, "And, I'm ready to enjoy it once again."

_I could feel just how ready he was. And boy, was he ready. I maneuvered us so Dane was on top of me once more. Our bodies pressed firm against one another as we kissed. And so, once again Dane made me forget all of our troubles and one more time after that._

_I was lying on Dane, reveling in post-sex happiness when Dane's phone rang. I rolled off him so he could retrieve his phone from his pants. Dane stood there in all of his glory as he talked with whomever on the phone. From the bed, I could ogle at Dane's butt and his sculptured legs. I felt no shame in doing so either. I heard him trying to negotiate with whomever he was talking to. Dane hung up a minute later and placed his phone on to the dresser with a loud clunk._

"Even without your blood, I could sense your lust," he said as he turned around.

_I just smiled. Dane walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. I sat up and wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, my lips brushed against his neck._

"Who was that?" I asked.

"My manager," Dane groaned, "he wants to needs to see me for an 'urgent' meeting."

"Is it about Ian?" I asked.

I_an had nearly met his true death the other night. I could only assume that's why his manager would call Dane._

"Yes. Robert, my manager, would not give me the details," he explained, "I tried to get him to push it back until tomorrow, but he wouldn't have it."

"Okay, and?" I asked.

"And I want you to come with me," Dane said finally.

"Why?"

"Because, I don't want to leave you alone," he said as if it were obvious.

"I'll be fine. I'm in my own home. Freya can't come in. She doesn't even know where you are let alone where I am. Just go to your meeting, I'll be okay," I insisted.

"I won't leave you, not again," Dane said firmly.

"You really won't go if I stay here?" I asked, although I knew the answer.

_Dane nodded. I sighed_, "Let me get dressed."

I got out of bed and rummaged through my closet to find something to wear.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my head still in the closet.

"Just a bar."

_That didn't tell me much. To me just a bar meant something like Merlotte's. I had no clue what Dane thought of as "just a bar". So, I decided to be overdressed just in case. I pulled out my maroon knee length strapless dress and faux leather 'motorcycle' jacket. I found some grey tights and pulled out a pair of black boots. I jumped around the room pulling my outfit on. I hadn't bothered to notice what Dane was wearing, not that it mattered. He could be wearing a stained tank top and tattered jeans and he'd look just fine._

_I didn't bother with my hair, just passed the brush through it and twisted up. A dab of make-up and we were out the door. I noted that Dane was dressed in dark jeans and a patterned dress shirt._

_Dane's car took us further into the city. It felt later than usual, but when I looked at the clock it was only 9:45. Something told me it was going to be a long night. We drove around for a while until we hit the arts district. Dane pulled his car up to one of the most exclusive restaurants/bars in the city, Divin. The valet rushed over to take Dane's sports car once we were out. Wrapping his arm around me, Dane led us into the restaurant. As we headed in I saw a flash of light and then another. I turned to see where it came from only to see a couple of men scurrying down the street. One looked back and then there was another flash. Photographers? Oh, paparazzi. Great. Dane tensed slightly with anger. I could tell he wanted to go after them._

"Don't," I whispered, "it's not worth it."

"It would have been."

_Dane told the Maitre' D we were here to meet someone. He looked at me and scoffed slightly before taking Dane and I into the dining room. He thought I was a mindless fangbanger. The fang marks on my neck didn't really help either, but oh well. The disgruntled Maitre' D led us to the table and promptly left._

_The man who I presumed to be Robert stood up and greeted Dane with a slight nod. Robert was human, which made sense. A vampire manager would be impractical. He was average height with light brown hair and dark eyes. Robert had that business flair to him. He was well dressed in a grey suit and dark blue shirt. Robert eyed me and had his suspicions about me, just like the Maitre D. But, he let those go for now._

"Good evening, Dane," Robert said warmly, "Who's this?"

"This is my…this is Kim," Dane said awkwardly.

"I'm Robert Marshall, the band's manager," he said as he stuck out his hand.

"Nice to meet you," I said as I shook his hand.

"Well, let's sit down," Robert suggested.

_We gathered around a tall square table. Our waitress came over and Robert ordered a Royalty for Dane and two rum and Cokes. I was going to protest, but the waitress left before I could even say anything. One drink won't kill me._

"What's so urgent that you had to talk to me in person?" Dane asked.

"Ian has silver poisoning," Robert said, nonchalantly.

"Well, you don't seem worried," Dane observed.

_The drinks and blood were brought out. Robert took a long sip before answering_, "I'm not. He'll recover soon enough. Ian is in contact with his maker or progeny or both. But, you and the guys have a short tour coming up and I'm not sure if Ian will be ready for the tour."

"I see. So you want to postpone the tour?" Dane asked.

"No, no. But, I was thinking of having Owen switch over to the bass and have a guest guitarist," he explained, "I was thinking of whatshisname from Lilith…ah."

"Zachary," I said.

"Yeah, him," Robert said with a snap of the fingers.

"No," Dane said flatly.

_Robert rolled his eyes_, "I know you two had your tiff whenever ago, but you can't set it aside for a few shows?"

"No, I can't. Zachary is impudent and a general pain in the ass," Dane said sternly, "Plus, I don't think Ian would like being replaced in general, let alone by Zachary."

"We're contracted to do those shows so you're going to have to suck it up," Robert snapped, "It's six shows, you'll survive."

"I might, but he won't," Dane huffed.

"What's your problem with him?" Robert demanded.

"My problem now is he attempted to bite Kim when Owen called to tell me Ian was attacked," Dane explained.

"Oh so she's not just a…well, never mind," Robert said.

"A fangbanger you mean? No, I'm not," I finished for him and glared.

"Why can't you get James from Joyce to play with us?" Dane asked.

"They're on tour. Zachary makes the most sense schedule-wise. So you have a month to get over him trying to bite your girlfriend," Robert concluded, "I'll agree he's an ass, but he can play the guitar just as well as Ian."

_Without another word Robert got up and left. Once he was out of earshot Dane let out a low growl. Dane threw down a hundred dollar bill and stood up. He was already three steps ahead of me by the time I shimmied my way out of the tight space between the two tables. I caught up to him after a short sprint and another glare from the Maitre' D as I ran out the door. I saw Dane standing by the curb; he was nearly surrounded by paparazzi. I could hear them asking about his friendship, or lack of one, with Zachary. They asked about the girl he entered the restaurant with. The paparazzi surrounded him as they hounded Dane with more questions._

_I tried to approach Dane but I was pulled back instead. A hand clamped around my mouth as someone pulled me backwards. I kicked and flailed my arms, but with no avail. I clamped my teeth on the hand and I was momentarily freed. However, as I tried to run a blunt object met the back of my head._

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Yeah, cliffhanger...sorry! Tell me what you think in reviews please. :D

Until next time!

Forever Is Never Forever


	13. Author's Note: Please Don't Kill Me

I know, I know this is not the chapter you were looking for. I'm sure some of you are a little tiffed that you got an email saying I updated and then saw this...well, I'm...I'm just dumb sometimes. I accidentally deleted my files containing the newest chapter to this story.

So, I'm asking that you don't riot...but you guys totally have a right to since I haven't updated in forever. I'm really sorry! If you can hang on a little longer, that's all I'm asking.

I hope to get the chapter rewritten by this weekend, and hopefully beta'd by next. And perhaps, by next Thursday you'll have a brand-spanking new chapter to read! So, I shall go and type until my fingers bleed!

Sorry again!

Sara


	14. No One Is Safe

Hey everyone, I'm really sorry for the delay in posting new chapter. But, here's a new one (finally!). Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own only my OCs.

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_I woke up suddenly, my eyes shot open. However, they closed just as quickly when a sharp pain radiated through my head. I groaned quietly, while I tried to touch my hand to my head. But, I couldn't. A rattling of chains alerted me to the fact that my wrists were bound. The haze of sleep faded quickly once I realized I couldn't move my arms. I tried to sit up only to find that I was bound to the floor. The chains were only long enough to allow me to scarcely bend my elbows. But my legs were free. My eyes adjusted to the light when I opened them again. Although, I couldn't see a whole lot since there was just one bare bulb. I was in a dungeon of sorts or a dirty basement. I shuddered against the cold cement from the lack of heat and disgust. _

_I tried to recall what happened. Dane and I were at a restaurant…meeting his manager…we weren't there long and Dane left quickly…angry. There was a crowd of people around Dane…paparazzi, I tried to get to him but couldn't. I knew the brain that attacked me…very familiar to me… _

_Shivering again, I tried to focus. I threw my mental net out and found a void. Shit. It was coming closer. _

"Fuck," I whispered, agitated.

_I could hear the footsteps now. They were coming fast. A door unlock at the far end of the room. It opened and slammed shut. I jumped from the noise. The void chuckled. _

"Such crass words aren't attractive on pretty girls," he chided, his British accent thick.

"Fuck you," I hissed.

_Zachary appeared next to me suddenly. I jumped again. He grinned, _"You are so feisty. It's a shame really. I'm going to miss it."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I demanded.

"I know what you are," he said, his tone deadly.

_I gulped. I'm a lot of things, all of which I like to keep secret, _"You don't know anything."

"Oh I don't, do I? Well, I already know you're part fae," Zachary flaunted his knowledge, "I'm exceptionally perceptive of fae blood. And I know you're a telepath. A telepath, who happens to be able to read vampires."

"You're wrong," I said flatly.

"You wish I were, don't you?" he taunted, "Save your breath and don't deny the telepathy. You're well known in the supernatural community. Your mother as well. And some supes believe you can read vampires."

"They're wrong. I can't."

"What was that exchange between you and Dane the night I met you?" Zachary asked.

"Nothing. He was trying to communicate something to me, but I didn't understand," I lied.

_Zachary chuckled as he kneeled next to me, _"You're a terrible liar. Has anyone told you that? I watched your face that night. You didn't display one look of confusion."

"What do you want from me?" I glared, "I can't read vampires. It's not possible."

"For one, I like to get under Dane's skin. He's wound tight. So un-vampire. He's very old world, chivalry, and all that shit. But when he wants something, he'd fight to the true death for it. He obviously wants you," Zachary shook his head, "And two, you're a threat. And even if you can only read telepathic vampires, you're still a threat," Zachary explained, "So, I've decided to get rid of you before you become a nuisance."

_I'm not even a problem to him, but a nuisance? I know that shouldn't bother me. It shouldn't even be a concern right now. I glared at him, _"And what? You're going to drain me?"

"Yeah," he said nonchalantly and nodded.

"You don't think Dane or Eric Northman will be here any moment?" I questioned.

_Zachary rolled his eyes, _"Please. Northman doesn't give a shit about you. He may like your mother, but I doubt you even cross his mind. As for your little boy toy Dane, he should be held up by the Fellowship of the Sun. You'd be surprised how easily they'll work with vampires…for the right price of course."

"You sold out one of your own to the Fellowship?" I asked, astonished.

_Suddenly his face was above mine. Zachary straddled my hips as he roughly grabbed my chin, _"Yes, I did. Thankfully no one will ever know, aside from you and me. I won't be talking anytime soon. And neither will you."

"You're older than him, why not just kill him yourself?" I asked, wondering. But then another thought crossed my mind, "Who are you afraid of?"

"You're quite brave for someone in your position," he growled, seizing my throat, "But if you must know, it's Freya. She's bat shit crazy and wouldn't rip my head off the moment she knew I killed Dane. The Fellowship is a much more effective and cleaner way for me."

"Coward," I wheezed.

_Zachary released my neck only to slap me across the face. The impact was so hard it brought tears to my eyes immediately. I whimpered trying to keep the tears from falling. _

"Humans," he scoffed, "Now do we have any last requests?"

"Go eat silver and burn in the fucking sun," I snapped.

"Ouch."

_Zachary grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled my head to the side, exposing my neck. I cried out in pain. He buried his head into the crook of my neck and inhaled. Letting out a pleasured sigh, he licked my neck. I flinched. I felt the prick of his fangs against my skin. I tensed, but he didn't bite me like I expected. He withdrew his head from the base of my neck and looked at me. I could feel him trying to impose his influence on me. _

"Relax," he commanded.

_I tried my best to fake it. It was harder to do than I thought, but Zachary bought it, _"Good."

_He freed my hair and his hand slid down to my breast. Zachary cupped it as his thumb made circles around my clothed nipple. He smirked, _"You like this, don't you?"

_I swallowed hard, _"Yes, I do."

"You really are the worst liar I have ever met," he shook his head.

_Without warning, Zachary sunk his fangs into my neck. His fingers entangled themselves into my hair again. I screamed and kicked violently. My legs soon pinned to the floor, one by Zachary's knee and the other by his hand, which was wrapped around my ankle. More tears flooded my eyes when my right leg hit the ground. A shocking pain surged from my ankle, the one Zachary had his hand tightly gripped around. _

"You're making this exceptionally difficult," he groaned, his mouth glistened with my blood, "I was going to draw this out, but it seems you're not willing to play."

"Don't like working for your meal?" I sneered through gritted teeth, "Or are you too slow to catch it?"

"Teasing isn't helping your cause, darling," Zachary said as he hiked up the hem of my dress, "Do you have a death wish or something?"

"Only for you."

_Zachary smirked as he took hold of my right ankle again, which caused me to scream. He pulled my right leg out and lowered his head to the base of my thigh. His lips were near my femoral artery. Zachary looked up at me. _

"I could turn you, right here and now. I think you'd make a brilliant vampire," he whispered.

_I ignored him. The pain coming from my ankle had my focus, as well as the stream of blood coming from my neck. I cried when I felt his fangs pierce my flesh again. I felt weak almost instantaneously. I tried to focus on something, even my throbbing ankle. But I could feel a deep sleep coming and I wanted to rest. I wanted to be free of this moment and free of pain. Thoughts lumbered through my head about Dane, my parents, Karsten, Erin, school, life…everything. My head felt funny, fuzzy and numb. I heard muffled voices and something cold splatter on me before succumbing to the inviting darkness. _

_And as soon as I lost consciousness, I regained it back…or so it seemed. Instead of a bleak, dirty cinderblock room I found myself in my own bed, at home. Band posters and torn out magazine pages lined the walls. Pictures of friends and family were scattered about. _

_It was nearly dawn by the looks of the lightening sky. _

_Carefully, I sat up. I was crusted with blood but judging by the amount and the fact that I was still alive, I gathered it wasn't mine. Suddenly my mind was flooded with memories of what happened. Yet, they were hazy and distorted. I shook them off, I couldn't bear to relive it so soon. Or ever. _

_I did a quick damage report to see what kind of shape I was in. Surprisingly, I was relatively fine. My shoulders were sore and my ankle ached, which was splinted and propped up on several pillows. I was still in my dress and my one boot was on my left foot. Both were headed for the garbage unfortunately. I had been placed on top of a layer of towels. _

"Your father staked Zachary," whispered a voice next to me.

_I jumped and nearly shrieked. I looked over to see Dane sitting in a folding chair. He looked tired, but in one piece. My heart raced in my chest, but I was so happy to see him. Dane didn't move. He didn't seem relieved that I was alive. He didn't seem happy or anything. _

"I'm going to ground," he announced after a long, quiet moment.

"That's all you have to say?" I asked.

"I'm glad you weren't accidentally turned last night," Dane said simply.

_He got up and was gone before I could even swing my legs over the edge of my bed. I huffed and pulled myself up onto my good leg. I'd find him later tonight. Or I'd find someone to find him. I wasn't even sure what he meant exactly, but it didn't matter at the moment. Right now I just wanted a shower. _

_I hobbled to the hallway, grabbed two towels from the closet and then headed for the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I pulled out an old plastic shopping bag from under the sink. Stripping down to nothing, I threw everything into the bag and knotted it. I made my way to the shower and turned it on as hot as I could stand it. I slid the glass door the side and I sat myself down on the shower floor with just my ankles out. _

_I had done this before when my other leg was broken from a soccer accident. I leaned back and let the water run down my body. After a while, I grabbed the shampoo and then my pouf and bodywash. I scrubbed away all of the vampire remains, dirt, and blood. While I ran the pouf over my body, I realized Dane must have given me his blood. He must have given me a good amount to make him say what he did. Once clean, I sat under the water for a while afterwards. _

_Turning off the shower, I wrung out my hair and pulled myself up. I wrapped one towel around my head and the other around my body. Sitting down on the toilet, I took the washcloth from the counter and wet it under the spigot of the sink. _

_After wiping down my ankles and feet, I limped back to my room. I found a sleepshirt and shorts. I wrung my hair out with the towel and then tossed it on the floor. I put on the shirt and shorts and sighed. Pushing the towels off my bed, I climbed in. I placed my bad ankle out of the covers and back onto the pile of pillows, and fell asleep immediately. _

_I didn't wake up until the late afternoon, and it was already dark. Sitting up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I noticed the towels were gone from the floor. Mom must have picked them up. I pulled myself out of bed and hobbled to the kitchen. I found Mom at the table. When she looked up, I saw the relief in her face and felt it wash over her as well. She smiled weakly as she stood up. Mom took me in her arms and hugged me. I returned her embrace just as strongly. I heard her sniffle and as she pulled away, she quickly wiped tears away from her eyes. _

"You're okay," she said, glad.

"I think so," I nodded, "Dane hinted that he gave me his blood, so why am I limping around?"

"His blood caused your ankle to heal incorrectly. So Dr. Ludwig had to re-reset your ankle," Mom said, "She said you were very lucky Dad and Dane came when they did."

"If you knew I was going to be okay, why did you seem so relieved to see me?" I asked.

_Mom smiled, cupping my face, _"I wasn't going to stop worrying until I saw you up and about myself."

"I can't believe I am," I whispered.

"I am so happy you are though," she replied, hugging me once more.

_I had to wipe tears from my eyes this time when I pulled away, _"Where's Dad…and Dane?"

"Dad's in his office and I don't know where Dane is," Mom said, "Why don't you eat first?"

"I will, but I want to talk to them first."

_Mom sighed slightly, _"Okay."

_I made my way to Dad's office. He was talking to someone but hung up when I entered. His happiness showed in his smile as he stood up and hugged me tight. His hand stroked the top of my head. I pulled away to see bloody tears welling up in his eyes. _

"I feared you wouldn't be my child this evening," he whispered vaguely.

_I gave him a confused look, _"What?"

"You had lost a lot of blood, but I wasn't sure how much. When Dane fed you his blood, we didn't know if you might be turned," he paused, "You were barely alive, but enough so that you didn't become vampire, thankfully."

"Dane said you staked Zachary," I felt sort of numb, the thought of becoming a vampire was weird to me. Dane's words hadn't really sunk in until now.

"Yes, I did. The bastard deserved worst," Dad seethed.

_I nodded, _"Where's Dane?"

"I don't want you to see him," he said suddenly.

"Why?" I asked, surprised.

"If it weren't for him you wouldn't have nearly died," Dad pointed out coldly, "He has brought you nothing but pain."

"And if it weren't for Dane's blood last night, I would be dead," I argued, "I owe him a 'thank you' at least."

"You don't owe him anything."

_I limped out of his office without another word. I went into my room and slipped a pair of sweatpants on. I pulled on a hoodie and called Dane. _

"Hello?" he sounded reluctant to answer.

"We need to talk," I said, neutrally.

"There isn't anything to say," Dane groaned slightly.

_I felt anger building up in me, _"What the hell are you talking about? There's a whole lot to talk about. I've had a lot of your blood, you should know that I want to talk to you. And if you don't come, I will find you."

"I will be there in five minutes," he said and hung up.

_I sat down and placed my phone on the end table. I stuck a thick sock on my splinted foot and a boot on the other. By the time I made it to the front door, Dane was already there. I limped out on to the porch, ignoring Dane's offer of help. _

"So, all you had to say last night was you were happy I wasn't accidentally turned," I reiterated, sitting down on the swing.

"Well, I was," he defended, "Kim, I don't know what you want me to say. I will not apologize for feeding you my blood. I would not let you die."

"Where were you?" I asked quietly, "You promised to keep me safe."

_Dane sat next to me, _"I was ambushed by three boys from the Fellowship of the Sun. One of which was Darren."

"How...how did you know?"

"His scent was familiar to me," Dane said simply.

"How'd you get free?" I inquired.

"They had taken silver to me, but it was not enough to bind me. I broke free, but they tried to stake me," he recalled.

_I could tell there was more he wanted to say,_ "And?"

"And, I killed two of them. One of them was Darren," Dane finished.

_I didn't know how to react. Part of me rationalized that Dane had to do it to escape. Yet, another part of me said that even though Darren was a deluded ass, he didn't deserve to die. _

"Oh," was the only thing I could muster up.

"I called Eric to tell him what happened, but he said he was already tracking you," he continued, seeming puzzled.

"We have a variation of a blood bond. He knows how I feel but not why," I clarified, "And he can find me."

"Right, I remember now," Dane nodded, "We found where you were around the same time. Eric staked Zachary like I told you and I gave you my blood. We were worried that you lost too much and the amount I gave you could have turned you."

"I heard," I replied, letting my anger show.

"You're upset that you could have been turned," he observed.

"Yes. You didn't need to give me _that _much blood. I would have been fine," I argued, "I can't help but to think that you were trying to turn me."

"And how would that help either of us?" Dane demanded, "You would be alienated from your friends and family and resent me for causing it. I would never force this life upon you unless you wanted it. But, I would rather risk giving you too much blood than too little. I will not apologize for it either."

"Too little or too much I would have still ended up dead," I rebutted, "But that shouldn't have been an issue. You promised you would keep me safe. I can't live around empty promises."

_Dane looked down. I felt a swell of feelings, but they weren't my own. It was rage, fear, helplessness, pity, and disappointment all rolled into one. I shouldn't be aware of emotions that aren't my own. I stared at Dane, trying to will him to look at me. He did. _

"Did we form a blood bond?" I asked slowly.

"Yes."

"Were you going to tell me or did you think I'd figure it out on my own?" I inquired.

_Dane continued to look at me, unblinkingly, _"I was going to tell you. When you were more…accepting to hear it."

"Well, I would like to know about everything that has come of last night," I replied coolly.

"That's it," he said.

_I could sense that there was something else Dane wasn't saying. I could feel his uncertainty. The sensation of his emotions running through me made it hard to discern my own. I wondered if Dane felt the same way. _

"What else is there? I can tell you're keeping something from me," I said, impatient.

"Freya will be able to track you because you have had so much of my blood," Dane added, dismally.

"Well, that's just…fucking great," I groaned, crossing my arms.

"Go inside, it's cold out here," he said, changing the subject.

"No, I'm fine," I replied stubbornly.

"Fine."

_A long silence fell upon us. I was drowning in a sea of emotions, both Dane's and my own. His were running through me so fast I couldn't truly tell what they were. They were oppressive nonetheless. I tried to sort out how I was feeling, but it proved difficult. _

"Kim, I am very sorry that I let you down. I am not full of empty promises, just regret. I cannot rationalize why I let my anger towards Zachary blind me from keeping you safe. I wish I could do it over," Dane said, nearly rambling.

"I know you are, I can tell. But, at this rate I'm better off just fending for myself," I whispered.

_Dane knew immediately what I was getting at. I could see the shock on his face, _"Kim, I will not let you. Freya will kill you."

"Just like Zachary almost did. Dane, I can't do this anymore. I can't keep going thinking you're going to be right around the corner, ready to save me. It hurts too much to have that expectation. It makes me feel like you don't truly care about me as ridiculous as that sounds," I had to pause to wipe the tears from my eyes, "Dane, I thought I could do this. But, I can't. If Freya comes, then she does. I just hope my Dad is around."

"I care about you more than anything I have in my entire existence as a vampire. I haven't felt like this since I was human. I feel almost human. These raw emotions that I feel are frightening and real. But, you are right. I have failed you. I will never again do that," Dane said, urgently and determined.

"You're right. You won't."

_I stood up and made my way inside with Dane quickly trailing behind me. I closed the screen door on him. He looked nearly defeated. _

"I rescind your invitation into my home," I declared, my voice cracking.

* * *

I know you guys hate when I leave you with cliffhangers. But they're fun...well, sort of. Anyway, thanks for stopping by! Drop me a review if you're so inclined. :)

-Forever Is Never Forever


	15. Back Again

I am really sorry about my terrible updating habits. But, I know you've all heard that before. Well, enjoy! The story is about to come to a close within a couple chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Recap: Kim is the daughter of Sookie and Eric. She's a telepath like Sookie. Kim is currently attending college in Baton Rouge where she rooms with her best friend, Erin. Kim used to date a Were named Karsten who is the son of Alcide, however, now they are just friends. However, their friendship hasn't stopped Karsten from trying to stoke the fires back up on occasion. Unlike Karsten, Erin only recently learned of Kim's supernatural connections, which she embraced fully. Kim dated a human named Darren for a few months, but found him to be too aggressive. She found out that he was a member of the Fellowship of the Sun. She is now involved with a vampire named Dane, but their relationship got off to a rocky start after a run-in with another vampire named Zachary. Nevertheless, their relationship was starting to grow and flourished, almost. However, with the threat of Dane's maker always being around stalled their relationship a bit. This was due to the fact that Dane and his maker had been on the outs for a few of centuries now. Through their time together, Kim learned of his maker's so-called fieriness for which her maker, Callis, originally did not want to waste on a mortal life. Freya became too much for her maker and he promptly released her.

Kim and Dane finally had to face Zachary, which costs him his life. Not without aid from Eric of course. Dane's continuous inability to protect Kim caused her to lose faith in him. She then ended their blossoming relationship after being rescued...

* * *

_Today was the beginning of summer break; and marked the fourth month since my ordeal with Zachary. Tonight was my first shift back at Merlotte's. I couldn't wait to get back there, I missed the atmosphere. Although, I could live without the handsy patrons._

_The last four months of school were less than pleasant. And there was Darren's funeral, which topped it all off. I couldn't help but feel responsible for his death. My presence at his memoriam for school just felt wrong, but not showing up seemed worse. Too many of our mutual friends came up to me afterwards and asked if I was okay. I wasn't even sure why they approached me. Darren and I had stopped talking since the argument in the apartment weeks before his death. Then again, none of them knew about that or anything else related to our fight__._

_I had never felt so much relief after finals were over and I could return to sleepy Bon Temps._

_Sitting at my vanity, I finished putting on my make-up. Suddenly, I felt a shiver go up my spine. Dane. Dane and his the fucking blood bond. The bond has grown weaker over time, but I still felt it whenever he had a strong feeling towards something. I was just glad he took the hint and left me alone after our talk. I hated that my sense of his presence almost extended outside of my mind. As if I were to turn around and he'd be right there. I desperately wanted to break the bond and be rid of it all. Most especially, the dreams I'd had of him that left me hot and bothered._

_But not because I hated him. No, what I hated was myself for wanting to be closer to him. I had missed Dane terribly the first few weeks after Zachary's death. I wanted to have some semblance of our meager relationship. Whatever we had I enjoyed thoroughly. The good parts at least. I couldn't bring myself to admit that I could be heartbroken. And if I was, that I caused my own misery._

_After taking a deep breath, I tried to shake the feeling off and I headed downstairs. Mom had been gone for most of the day with Aunt Amelia and it seemed that their rendezvous was going to continue into the night. I found Dad in the kitchen sipping a True Blood and going through his email._

"Off to work?" he asked, not looking up from the screen.

"Yep," I said, peeking into the fridge for a quick bite to eat.

"How are you feeling?" Dad caught my eye.

"Fine," I assured him, "I'm just fine, but I do have a question."

_His brow rose, _"Yes?"

"Is there a way to break a blood bond?" I asked, hopefully.

"Yes," he said with hesitation, "but, there's no point."

"What do you mean?" I implored.

"The blood bond you and Dane share is weak already. Another month or so, it should dissipate completely," Dad explained with a tone that said the conversation was over.

"I can't wait that long," I continued, frankly.

_He went back to his laptop, _"You'll have to."

"Why? Why should I have to suffer another month?" I demanded.

_Dad looked up again, but not with the expression I expected. I thought I'd receive a reprimanding glare, but instead I found a look of care and fatherly concern, _"Breaking the bond would cause you more suffering than waiting. To break the bond, the blood of bonded must be used in a ritual that requires both vampire and human to be present. Obviously, you would have to see Dane again and I don't want you to. He has caused you enough pain."

"Oh…" I whispered, "so, another month then?"

"It'll go by fast," he assured me.

_I nodded and hugged him before heading out. I'ddecided to grab something to eat at work. As I drove down Hummingbird Road, I felt another chill. It was stronger this time. Dane must be closer than I had thought, which made me wonder why he was here._

_Merlotte's was already hopping when I arrived. I entered through the back door and dropped my belongings off in Sam's office. I tied on an apron and headed out for the bustling bar. I didn't even make it past the kitchen window without being handed a platter to deliver. I dropped off the food and got refills before saying hi to Sam at the bar._

"Hey Kim," he greeted as he served up some beers from the tap.

"Hey. It's crowded for a Monday," I commented.

_Sam ran his hand through his hair, _"Yeah, well, it's good. Looks like your Mom's idea of half priced appetizers worked."

"Glad it did! Means more work for me," I laughed.

_Sam chuckled before going back into full bartender mode. It took me an hour to get back into the groove, but once I did I was off and running. Before I knew it, midnight had rolled around. I was out by the dumpsters when another shiver ran down my spine. It was the strongest by far. I shook it off only to look up and see Dane in front of me. I jumped back and let out a yelp._

_Dane didn't move. He waited as I straightened myself up and recovered from shock. I placed a hand over my racing heart. It was only then did I realize that his back was to me._

"Don't move," he commanded as I moved to walk around him.

"Why?" I demanded.

"If Freya asks if I saw you I will be able to say that I didn't, truthfully," he explained coolly.

"Why would she ask that?"

_Dane's shoulders tensed slightly, _"She called me back to her."

"I'm surprised she hasn't asked you where I am by now," I commented.

"She likes the hunt," Dane reminded me.

_I sat down on a crate. I was so tired. My body hadn't gotten used to working at Merlotte's. Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I sighed._

"Why are you here?"

"Freya's closing in," he said quietly, "it's only a matter of a few hours or a day at most."

"Thank you for warning me," I said gratefully, "I know it's very dangerous for you to do so."

"It's worth the risk," Dane shrugged.

"Has she asked anything at all?" I inquired.

_Dane shifted his weight, _"About you?"

"Yes."

"She wanted to know what you were," he recollected, "I had to tell her."

"I know."

"And if I loved you," he shifted again, clearly uncomfortable.

_I was taken aback by her question and curious as to why she'd ask. Maybe to laugh at him. Or to reprimand him._

_Standing up from the crate I circled around Dane just enough to catch his eye. He didn't look away._

"What did you say?" I hoped I wouldn't regret wanting to know his answer.

_Dane was quiet for a long moment, _"I told her that I do. She said I'm weak and no longer the vampire she was so proud to have sired."

"You're not weak," I assured him.

_I was going to completely overlook the first part of his answer. I couldn't handle thinking about it, let alone talking it over. However, Dane thought I could handle such a conversation. He turned to face me completely._

"I loved you and still do," he paused, "I have never loved a human since being turned."

_I ran my hands over my face, _"No! No, you can't do this to me now."

"I'm not trying to do anything," Dane replied, unruffled, "You're the one who asked. You would have been able to sense if I was lying."

"I just…it doesn't matter. Thank you for coming all this way. I'll call my Dad now," I pulled out my phone, "What do you think I should do?"

"Kill her," Dane said simply.

_I dialed Dad's number. The first ring didn't even finish when I noticed Dane tense and shiver. His movement mirrored the way Pam would react when Dad called to her. Well, fuck._

"She wants me to return or she's on her way," Dane was agitated, "You need to leave now."

"Where am I going to go?" I asked, phone still to my ear.

_Before I could check to see if Dad ever answered, Dane scooped me up and started running. He started on the road but soon veered off into the woods. I was slung over his shoulder, so the descent into the creek was especially uncomfortable._

"Dane where are we going?" I shouted.

"I don't know. Somewhere," he grunted back.

"Stop and put me down!" I demanded and slapped him on the back, which left my palm stinging and red.

_He came to a sudden stop and caused me to lurch backwards. Nevertheless, I landed softly on my feet with Dane's help. We stood on the bank of the creek with only the sounds of the wildlife to be heard. I could feel the frustration wafting from him and onto me. He looked defeated._

"If we stand here, she will come and there isn't anything I can do to stop her. If she tells me to not touch her then you're surely dead," he said pointedly, "Or she could tell me to kill you."

"And if you take me to see my Dad and she orders you to attack him how does that help anyone?" I retorted.

"No one. But Eric is stronger than I am, he could take the both of us. Plus, there's your neighbor and Eric's progeny," Dane argued.

"I don't know what to do," I sighed as I swatted at a mosquito, or three.

"Let's keep moving. We'll at least throw her off Freya for a little bit," he said as he held out his hand.

_I climbed onto Dane's back and we were off running through the woods again. He ran swiftly through the dense growth and we were soon approaching a clearing. Dane was mid-stride when something collided into us from the side. I was tossed into some brush and stopped by my body hitting the trunk of a tree. I was winded for a few moments, I couldn't even think about trying to stand. I squeezed my eyes tighter as the pain radiated throughout me. As I tried to regain my bearings, I made an effort to try to listen to what was happening around me. However, I couldn't discern much. Opening my eyes, I couldn't see much either. Even after my eyes adjusted to the blackness, I could only see about a foot or two in front of me._

_Bracing myself against the tree, I staggered to my feet. It was times like this I wished I wasn't such a magnet for bodily harm. I supposed I got that from Mom. I winced all the way to the clearing. I saw no signs of Dane, not that there was much to see. The field was poorly illuminated by the cold light of the moon. It helped, but not enough. A silence fell upon the woods. I felt a chill run down my spine._

"Dane?" I whispered.

_Twigs snapped behind me and then to the right of me. I twisted and jerked, trying to locate the source of the sounds. Suddenly, Dane came rolling out of the trees. He was entangled with another vampire. Both had their fangs out as they clawed and fought one another. The other vamp, a young looking girl, I assumed to be Freya. She shrieked wildly as she sunk her fangs into the base of Dane's neck. He grunted in pain but managed to shove Freya off of him._

_Freya stood up and was about to pounce on him but I caught her eye instead. I froze. All of the blood rushed out of my face. She zipped right up to me with her face mere inches from mine. Although, we were not at eye level, it looked as though Freya was only fourteen when she was turned. Blood stained her thin, firm lips. It was still wet and glistened in the moonlight. Freya's steely grey eyes locked on to me through tangled locks of chestnut hair._

_She grinned, baring her fangs at me, _"You must be the telepathic fae."

_I gulped. I felt like a child, afraid to even move, let alone speak._

"I cannot see why Dane's so fond of you," Freya circled me in a blink of the eye, sizing me up.

_She stood next to me with her hand clenching my shoulder, _"Run."

"No," I whispered.

_Freya's eyes narrowed, _"Fine. I'll just kill you now. It's not like I would have let you go very far anyway."

_I tensed. Freya made a move but then hesitated, _"Dane."

_He stood at attention. I could see the fear creep into his eyes. Freya turned to look at him._

"How about a game of fetch?" she proposed as she brought her gaze back to me, "Run."

_My legs sprang into action. I ran for the woods trying to put as much distance between Dane and myself. Although, I knew it was pointless, Dane would be on my heels in the a matter of minutes if not seconds. My lungs burned as I leaped over fallen trees and avoided thick vines. Heading for an embankment, I tripped and tumbled into the creek. I lay sprawled out on the muddy bank until the spinning stopped. Recovery took longer than normal thanks to Freya colliding into Dane and myself not even twenty minutes prior. Realizing I was wasting time, I scrambled to my feet._

_A dull pain lingered through me after putting weight on my left ankle. I would have felt it more, but the adrenaline pumping through me kept the pain at bay. Even still, I couldn't run. Breaking a branch from a fallen tree, I waited for the inevitable. The woods fell silent causing a chill to run up my spine. I closed my eyes and cast out my mental net. I found two voids approaching fast. In the fleeting seconds until their arrival, it finally sunk in that I would possibly have to kill Dane. Just the thought made my heart ache. Suddenly, I wanted to curl up into a ball and die before having to do that._

_I felt an unnatural gush of wind brush against my face, which woke me from my heartsick breakdown. Opening my eyes I found Freya and Dane in front of me. A nearly healed laceration crossed almost the entirety of Dane's forehead. Even in the darkness I spotted dark blots on his clothing. I then became aware of how thick the smell of blood lingered in the air._

_She shoved him to his knees as she wiped blood from the corner of her mouth._

"Dane must be drunk with love," Freya said as she spat at me, "Never was he this stupid."

_Dane caught my eye. He looked at the branch in my hand and then back to me. 'It's our only chance. You will only have one shot at this.'_

"Or maybe you've gotten weak in your old age," I challenged her.

"You will pray for death once I'm done with you," Freya hissed.

"Freya, please," Dane begged, "just kill her."

_She snorted, _"Heartbroken already?"

_Dane turned to face her. Without a response, he lunged into her torso. He pinned her to the ground, but not without trouble. Freya thrashed about as she clawed at any part of Dane. I fell to my knees next to the mass of writhing vampires. I raised the branch above my head and plunged it deep into her chest. Freya let out an awful shriek as her last words._

_Like with Zachary, the sensation of the remains of Freya hitting me sent a wave of nausea through me. At least this time I wasn't alone. Dane and I fell backwards. Relief washed over both of us._

"I love you," I whispered.

_Dane smiled, _"Do you love me now that Freya's gone?"

"I'm not joking," I snapped, "I felt sick when I realized that I might have had to kill you tonight_."_

"I know you did," he assured me, "Just trying to lighten the mood."

"I just killed your maker, nothing light about that," I sighed.

"So you love me?" Dane asked after a moment.

_I stared at the ground, _"I think so. I'm more certain now that our blood bond is weaker."

"It's more like you think you love me?" he rephrased.

"Yes. But, after what just happened I thought saying it like that would be a bit tacky," I explained.

_Dane gently turned my head to look at him, _"I will never be mad at you for killing her. I know that's what you're dreading. As I have told you already, I did not hold any feelings for her."

_I gave him an appreciative smile. He leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. Dane lingered for a moment but soon dove into a full kiss. I reciprocated. Suddenly, I felt a stir within me. Not unlike what I felt when I dreamt about Dane, but what I felt now was stronger and more urgent. I wanted him and badly. He looked at me knowingly but unsure. I alleviated Dane of his uncertainty with another kiss as I reached to unbutton his jeans._

_Dane woke from his daze and was soon on top of me. We tore at each other's clothing until we were just naked enough. I gasped loudly when I felt him enter me. He continued at a daunting pace. I kissed him all over as I wrapped my legs around Dane's waist to bring him deeper inside me. I felt Dane's lips at the base of my neck, and his fangs left a prickly sensation on my skin. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach._

_Climax came quickly, but powerfully nonetheless. At Dane's peak, I felt his fangs bury themselves into my flesh. His hand held my neck firmly in place. After a long moment, I felt his tongue licking the bite marks clean. Both our hungers were sated now._

_We laid there for a while, Dane's head resting on my bare chest. He seemed to be listening to my heartbeat. It was now back to its steady beat._

"I've missed you," he said quietly.

_I ran my fingers through his hair repeatedly, _"I wanted to not miss you. I kept telling myself that it was the bond making me miss you. But, I knew it wasn't. I think it made me want to be with you even more. You were so close, but not."

_I tensed suddenly. I could sense my Dad's presence approaching._

"What's wrong?" Dane asked, lifting his head.

"My Dad is on his way," I replied, sitting up.

_Dane and I quickly dressed. He pulled down the collar of my shirt and swirled a couple drops of his blood on the fang marks he left, which I was grateful for__. I was starting to finally feel the full extent of my injured ankle. Wrapping his arm around me, Dane allowed me to put most of my weight on him. Not a moment later, Dad came running towards us. His nostrils flared. He knew everything that had transpired in one inhale._

"I was in Shreveport. I thought I wouldn't get to you in time," Dad said, I could hear the fear in his voice, "I'm happy to see you're safe."

"All thanks to Dane," I said.

_Dad made a thankful inclination of his head, _"You will always have an ally in Area Five."

"Thank you," Dane said gratefully.

"Let's go home," Dad suggested.

_I nodded, _"But what about Freya?"

_We all turned to the cold, liquefied remains._

"I'll send Darius," Dad said.

_Darius was Dad's newest vampire assistant and hopeful future bar owner. But at present his job entailed doing all the grunt work. Darius did it without distaste because Dad did reward him with a few tips and tricks of the trade._

_Dane picked me up bridal style and we began heading for home._

"Will Callis seek retribution?" Dad asked as the Stackhouse home came into view.

"To my knowledge, Callis is long gone," Dane explained, we had reached the front door now, "But, it is possible that he is alive. I have never met him and Freya never made mention of him being alive."

_Dad nodded, _"Something else Darius can do for me, find out where he is."

_The front door opened and I found Mom and Aunt Amelia standing there. Looking down, I saw Dr. Ludwig as well. We all shuffled into the kitchen. Dane placed me on a chair and propped my right ankle up. Dr. Ludwig pushed pass the two vampires and Mom. She adjusted her glasses, donned a pair of latex gloves, and then proceeded to remove my sneaker and examine my ankle._

_Even my untrained eye knew I had at least sprained it. Dr. Ludwig poked and prodded my swollen and bruised ankle, which caused a flurry of pain. Surprisingly though, it wasn't as intense as I expected._

"Bad sprain, that's all," she concluded, "Wrap it and keep it elevated. Ice it every couple of hours and take some Advil."

_Dr. Ludwig pulled off her gloves and tossed them in the trash_, "I'll expect my payment by morning."

_She then excused herself by once again pushing through the two vamps twice her size and probably four times her weigh combined. I used to prefer her over my pediatrician just for her brazen attitude towards Dad or any vampire. I found it strangely funny._

"Thank you, Dr. Ludwig," Dad called over his shoulder.

_The good doctor merely grumbled on her way out of the door. Mom and Aunt Amelia were at my side in an instant. Both were happy that I was breathing and fairing pretty well. I was encompassed from both sides and they hugged me tightly despite my arguing they'd get Freya's remains on them. Neither cared._

_After the hugging, the two women whisked me away to the hall bathroom. They set me on the shower floor and while I washed up they cleaned and wrapped my ankle. I had them help me back to the living room where I settled on the couch. I propped up my ankle on a couple of pillows and accepted the two Advil and a glass of water from Mom. Everyone gathered around me, but the only person I really wanted was Dane. I asked for some privacy and without hesitation everyone obliged. Aunt Amelia and Mom retreated to the porch with some snacks and iced tea. Dad, who I thought would take some more coaxing, returned to Fangtasia once he knew I was all right._

_Now with the living room quiet, Dane sat next to me on the floor._

"Now what?" I asked.

"Let's not worry about that now. You need to rest," he replied squeezing my hand a little.

"That's not an answer," I reply, "I need to know where we stand."

"Confessing we love one another isn't enough?" Dane countered.

"No. And, you said you loved me. I don't know how I feel, but I have a good idea of what I feel. Besides, it's not like we can just jump back into whatever we had prior. We didn't even have a true relationship yet. And, I have not seen you in four months," I argued, "Plus, there could be fallout from Freya's death."

_Dane placed his free hand on the back of my neck and brought my lips down to his, _"I want a relationship with you. I want you as my girlfriend, lover, and confidant. I kept you at almost arm's length because of Freya. She was not supposed to be your problem, but she's no one's now. And I love you, I sincerely do. You'd know if I were lying. I can wait until you sort out your feelings. If it takes until the blood bond breaks, so be it. I have the time."

_A small smile formed as Dane spoke. I felt a warmth build in me._

"What about your band and all?" I asked, curious.

"We're done for now. We're going on vacation for a while. No responsibilities for a few months," he assured me.

_I was happy to hear that. The idea that I could possibly have Dane to myself for a while was very appealing. All sorts of new ideas popped into my head and I had a million questions buzzing around as well. Stupid questions like where Dane's favorite vacation spots are. And more important ones regarding the potential fallout._

"What if Callis is alive? What will he want?" I continued.

"Retribution," he replied.

"Okay, not bad."

"Or my life," Dane added.

_I could tell by his voice that he was trying to be funny but there was a hint of truth there as well._

"Is that a possibility?"

"Yes. But unlikely. Callis is dead, I know it. I can feel it. Callis, while he was alive, was always like a small but perceptible presence in the back of my mind. Freya was the same, only much more so. But one night, I wasn't aware of him and now, it's like I have my mind completely to myself for once," Dane explained with relief.

"I'm glad I could grant you such freedom," I replied neutrally.

"I will enjoy it forever," Dane smiled, "I'm going to go so you can rest. Call me tomorrow if you'd like."

_I half nodded,_"You can stay the night if you'd like."

"I would. But it would be better if I asked your mother first," Dane stood up and disappeared into the kitchen.

_A minute or so later, he returned and scooped me into his arms. Dane kissed me lightly. Silently, he headed down the hall and into my bedroom. After much rearranging, we finally found a comfortable position while my ankle was propped up. I leaned my head on Dane's chest with my fingers laced with his. Soon enough, I drifted off to sleep._


End file.
